In My Veins
by KailaGlass
Summary: Spencer is trying to adjust to this cruel world. She has only her roommate and her five year old cousin, along with the group they joined. When everything went bad, they found these people who were like...home. Except one, who went by the name of Daryl Dixon. Rated M for far later chapters. DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING BUT MY OWN CHARACTERS. WALKING DEAD DOES NOT BELONG TO ME!
1. Chapter 1

I was sitting at the park with my best friend. We were babysitting my younger cousin, and had decided to grab a bite to eat. We sat at a small picnic table, eating our burgers, watching Cheyenne play on the slide. I smiled as she slid down the slide quickly, giggling with a big grin on her face.

"So, Spence. What are we doing with the little munchkin tonight?" Shay asked me, looking toward Cheyenne.

"Uhhhh..." I looked down. "Well, I, uh promised my aunt I'd watch her tonight."

"What? We're gonna be stuck with Cheyenne all night?" Shay whined.

"Oh, come on!" I shot back. "It's Friday. 'Morrow's a new day, we'll take her back to my aunt's house and go party or some shit." I was trying to bribe.

"Fine." Shay's green eyes shot daggers at me. "But Kevin's coming to see me this evening."

"Okay, well, hope he likes five year olds." I teased with a playful smile.

"Spencer, sometimes I want to kill you. Maybe it's your southern charm that always changes my mind!" Shay exclaimed, and I laughed loudly.

"Southern charm, huh?" I grinned. Shay rolled her eyes.

"Now I'm giving you an ego boost." She mumbled, which made me laugh even harder.

"Spencer!" Cheyenne came running up, grabbing her drink. Taking in big gulps, I couldn't help but giggle.

"Thirsty?" I asked, staring at the little girl.

"Uhhhh huh!" Cheyenne shook her head, drinking more from her cup. I smiled down at her, thinking how crazy it was that she looked just like me. Her blonde hair was almost white, and her big blue eyes seemed to shine on her pretty little tan face.

"Let's get on home, y'all. This Georgia heat is killin' me!" I complained, and luckily for Shay and I, Cheyenne agreed. The three of us trudged up the hill and climbed into my truck. I cranked up the truck, and turned the air on full blast.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Shay exclaimed, leaning in toward the air vent. I laughed and turned to make sure Cheyenne was buckled into her booster seat.

"You buckled?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, see?" She tugged on her lap belt to show it was secured.

"Good job." I encouraged with a smile. Cheyenne grinned and looked out of the window. I loved that child. I had been keeping her since she was a baby. She was practically my kid, I took care of her so much.

"Ugh, screw the radio." Shay mumbled, hitting the cd button. Her face lit up as a song began to play that all three of us loved.

"I like where we are, when we drive in your car." I sang along with the song as I left the parking lot. "I like where we are...here."

"Cause our lips, can touch. And our cheeks, can brush," Shay chimed in, "our lips can touch, here." We all sang along the whole way back to our apartment. Once home, we walked upstairs to our apartment, and I unlocked the door. I walked by the t.v., and turned it on. To my surprise, the news was on. I didn't remember leaving it on the news channel.

I began listening, tuning out Shay and Cheyenne talking in the background. The man talking looked worried, I scooted closer to the t.v., listening carefully. The man disappeared, and they went to live coverage of some place near Atlanta.

"As you can see," the reporter was saying, "the man seems to be trying to attack people on the streets. It's believed he is on some type of drug, causing him to be delusional. He isn't responding to police, and he-oh, God! He just bit that woman! Now the police are-" I turned away for a split second to get Shay.

"Shay! Come look at this shit!" I said, turning back to the t.v. Shay walked over and began watching with me.

"Them cops fired six rounds, 'an the man kept comin'..." I murmured more to myself than Shay.

"Good Lord. What the hell? He must have been on some crazy drugs." Shay said, shaking her head. "Shit like that will fuck ya up." She whispered.

"I ain't ever in my life!" I laughed nervously. "Bat shit crazy." I mumbled to myself, turning off the t.v.

"Let's order pizza!" Shay wiggled her eyebrows with a grin.

"Fine. But when we gain fifty pounds, and we have to work our butts off at the gym, I'm taking it out on you!" I teased, grabbing my cell phone. I dialed the pizza place's number, and ordered two pizzas. Before I hung up, there was a knock on the door. Shay ran over and opened the door, letting Kevin in. I smiled and half waved at him, before finishing up the order and hanging up the phone.

"She ordered pizza." Shay said. "I am starving!"

"Me too. You guys are awesome." Kevin grinned and I laughed.

"Hi." Cheyenne said quietly to Kevin. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Hi. I'm Kevin." He stuck out his hand.

"Cheyenne." She said quietly, taking his hand and shaking it. I couldn't help but laugh. Shay grinned at me.

"See, he does like kids!" Shay laughed. We all sat down and began talking. Cheyenne was coloring a page in her coloring book. Everything was great.

About thirty minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I jumped up quickly, digging in my pocket for cash. I pulled out a twenty and a ten, hoping that would cover it. Walking over to the door, I unfolded the money, and opened the door.

"Hey, it'll be twenty-three, ninety-six." The guy smiled lightly. I handed him the money, and got a glimpse of his name tag. It read 'Glenn'. He handed me the pizzas.

"Keep the change!" I grinned.

"Thanks! Hey, have you seen all the stuff going on? On the news?" He asked.

"Yea, it's crazy! Be careful out there!" I replied.

"You too, have a nice night." He said, and then he walked away. I stepped back into the apartment and shut the door. I started to turn toward the kitchen, but I turned back and locked the apartment door.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to sunlight flooding through my window, blinding me. Squinting, I threw back the covers stretched with a yawn. I sat up, swung my legs over the bed, and stood up. I walked into my bathroom, and looked in the mirror.

Shit. I had forgotten to take off my makeup last night. My eyeliner and mascara were still thick on my eyes, the eyeliner barely smudging under my eyes. Luckily, I didn't wear foundation. Just eye makeup. I sighed, and walked back out of the bathroom.

"Shay?" I called out. Nothing. Which meant she and Kevin probably went to get breakfast. Sounded good to me. I walked into the extra bedroom where Cheyenne was sleeping. I sat on the edge of her bed, and pulled the covers off. "Wake up sleepy head!"

"Spennnncer!" She whined, smiling slightly.

"Get up, girl!" I laughed. "I think Shay and Kevin done gone off to get us some breakfast! What'd ya think of Kevin?"

"Hmmm." Cheyenne looked up at me, deep in thought. "Well, he was nice. But he needed a hair cut. And he looks kinda funny."

"Chy!" I gasped playfully. "You rude 'lil thang!"

"Am not!" She shot back. "You asked for my 'pinion, so I tolded you!" I burst into laughter at her words. Suddenly I heard the front door slam open, followed by screaming.

"SPENCER! SPENCER!" Shay was screaming my name. Her voice was shrill with panic.

"Cheyenne, stay!" I said. Instinctively, I darted out of Cheyenne's room and down the small hallway. What I saw nearly made me sick. Shay had her arm around Kevin, supporting him. There was blood all over his arm, and shirt. A gaping wound was covering most of his forearm. I could see tissue, and what looked like bone. Blood was pouring from his arm all over the floor.

"What the-" I started.

"Quick!" Shay yelled. "Shut the door! Shut the door and lock it!" I ran over to the door and shut it quickly, locking the dead bolt and chain. I then turned back to Shay and Kevin.

"What happened?" I asked, kneeling beside them.

"We, we went to get breakfast, and we went in-inside. The place was empty, so we decided to leave. We were coming back out to the car, and this, this guy came out of nowhere and _bit_ him on the arm!" Shay explained in a panic.

"Bit him?" I asked, the whole situation not registering.

"Yes, Spencer! _Bit_ him!" Shay was panicking. She jumped up and ran to the bathroom, grabbing a towel. She wrapped it around his arm, trying to stop the bleeding. Kevin did not look good at all. He was pale, and sweating. He looked as if he were going into shock.

Then I remembered what we had seen on the news yesterday. I quickly jumped up and turned the t.v. on, hoping to see something that would be helpful. Strangely, a lot of the channels were nothing but static. I was getting agitated, when I came across some of the local news channels while flipping through. I listened carefully, turning up the volume.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. People were coming back from the...dead? No way. That made no sense at all. The news broadcast kept instructing for everyone to stay inside and keep their doors locked. Anyone bitten needed to be seen to immediately? Should we stay inside, or got to a hospital? No, we couldn't stay here.

"Cheyenne, get dressed. Now!" I called to her, running down the hall. I grabbed a small duffel bag, throwing some clothes inside. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt, quickly tearing my pajamas off. I got dressed, then leaned over my bed and pulled out my nightstand drawer. I grabbed the .22 handgun I kept there, and opened the chamber. Loaded. I made sure the safety was on, then put it snuggly in the small of my back, tucked into my jeans.

I ran over to my closet, and grabbed the top shoe box. I only had six boxes of bullets. Oh well, that should be more than enough. I dumped them in the duffel bag, and zipped it shut. I threw on my cowboy boots over my jeans, and grabbed my cell phone. I cried out in frustration when I saw that it had no service. Something wasn't right.

I grabbed the duffel bag and left my bedroom. I went straight into Cheyenne's room and flung open her small suitcase, grabbing all the clothes that she had packed inside. I unzipped my duffel bag, and shoved her clothes inside. I knelt down in front of Cheyenne, who was wide eyed with fear.

"Chy, listen baby. Kevin is hurt, 'kay? He's gonna be fine though, we're gonna take him to the doctor. It might be scary outside, but you jus' stay right beside me. Everything's gonna be fine." I said to her. She nodded and sat on her bed. I sat my duffel bag beside her, and zipped it back up, before leaving the room back to Shay.

"Shay! Go into ya room, get a small bag. Pack some clothes. We're fuckin' outta here. Gotta get him to a doctor." I said, looking at Kevin, who still hadn't said a word. Shay jumped up and ran to her room.

Within five minutes we were all at the front door. I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder, and picked Cheyenne up. She didn't weigh very much, I was thankful that she was only five and skinny as a rail. I looked at Shay, who was trying to get Kevin up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Something's not...right. I'm not right." He shook his head. "You three go. Send help here."

"I'm not leaving you alone!" Shay argued, and finally got him up. "Let's go, Spencer." She said. I nodded my head, and quietly opened the door. We walked out cautiously, looking around. I could see my truck in the parking lot, just down the stairs. We just had to get to it.

Everything was off. There was no one in sight, and everything was so quiet. Like eery quiet. No cars going by, no people outside. Then I noticed it. The parking lot was nearly empty. Maybe I should have never turned off the t.v. yesterday. It seemed like everyone had left over night.

We made a run for my truck. Down the stairs, across the sidewalk. Almost there. Then I heard Shay yell. I turned around to see an awful sight. Kevin was being pulled away from Shay by something, I wasn't quite sure what. It looked like a person, but it was all fucked up. It was _eating_ Kevin.

"Ahhhhhhh!" He was screaming in pain, then he stopped when the thing tore into his throat.

I shoved Cheyenne in the truck and ran over to Shay, grabbing her arm. The thing that had Kevin looked like the crazy guy we had seen on the news. It's mouth was bloody, and it looked like it had been... Bitten. Or chewed on? God, I didn't know. I didn't know what it was, but it certainly wasn't right.

"Hey, you fuck!" I yelled, kicking the thing in the head, hard. It snarled and snapped, so I backed away quickly, nearly stumbling.

"Kevin!" Shay cried, as I pulled her away. He looked bad. Really bad. There was blood everywhere, and I knew he wouldn't make it much longer. The thing was just ignoring us, eating on him. There was a gash in his throat, and blood was squirting. I felt sick.

"Shay come on, we gotta go! NOW!" I yelled. Kevin was still, and he didn't appear to be breathing, but I wasn't sure. Crying, we ran to the truck and got in. I couldn't believe what I had just seen.

I know I should have shot that..that thing, but I froze. I couldn't even reach for my gun. My brain had been too occupied trying to register what was happening. I didn't have time to reach from my gun. I didn't have time to do anything, except grab Shay and try to get as far away from here as possible.

"Spencer, what are we going to do?" Shay asked, her voice shrill, turning around in her seat, looking at the scene they had just ran from.

"I dunno, we gotta get somewhere safe. Maybe the CDC? I dunno, find some other people, shit, get the hell away from here!" I rambled, cranking up the truck, and throwing it in reverse. I backed up, and threw it in drive, heading for the main road that led to outskirts of city. Maybe we would find help in the city.

* * *

**Hey guys, this is my new story, hope yall enjoyed this first chapter. Yes, Spencer is going to be with the group from the very beginning, so her and Daryl are going to have a very interesting relationship. Of course, this story is going to be a painfully SLOW integration of their relationship. I am going to do this story strictly by the show, but I am adding in my own characters. I am so excited to see where it leads, and I am hoping to see some of my wonderful reviewers from "Tame My Heart" ! You guys are so amazing, and I really hope yall enjoy this story. The next chapter will be up ASAP. **

**~Kaila G **


	2. Chapter 2

As I drove toward the city, my truck was silent. Shay wasn't saying a word, and neither was Cheyenne. I glanced at the rearview mirror to see Cheyenne sitting quietly in her booster seat. Her eyes were full of fear. I noted that I had forgotten to brush her hair. What a stupid thought to have at a time like this.

Cheyenne looked so much like me. The only difference was our age and our hair color. She had bright blonde hair, and I had dark brown hair. Everyone always asked if she was my kid. I always laughed at that, telling them no, that she was only my cousin. Now I wondered if she would be mine.

I had no idea where any of my family were at this time. I didn't know if they were at their houses hiding out, or maybe they were on the road trying to find answers. Worried, I sighed. What was I supposed to tell Cheyenne when she began to ask about her mother?

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw the cars. My heart began to pound with joy as I saw people, real people, standing around the cars talking. There seemed to be a road block of some sort, there were cars parked along the main highway for as far as I could see. I pulled up and parked the truck.

"I'm gonna talk to someone an' see what's goin on." I said quietly, looking at Shay. She nodded her head, but remained silent. I started to open my door, when I heard a small whine escape from the back seat.

"Wanna go with you." Cheyenne cried, pushing the button on her seat belt and jumping up from her booster seat.

"Okay," I opened my door, and opened hers. "Let's go." I picked Cheyenne up, set her on my hip, and walked toward the first three people I saw. An RV sat parked, and beside it an older man was talking to two blonde women. As I walked closer, the older man saw me coming, and gave me a friendly smile. The two blondes speaking to him turned to see what the smile was for.

"Hey, do y'all got any idea what's goin on?" I asked, grimacing at the Georgia heat.

"Well, we weren't given much to go on," the older man admitted, "but it seems as if the dead are coming back to life. I'm Dale." He stuck his hand out.

"Spencer." I said, trying to smile and shaking his hand.

"Are you all right?" One of the blondes, the older looking one, asked. I must have had confusion on my face, because the younger one spoke up.

"You have blood on your arm." She said softly. I looked down, seeing blood smudged on my wrist.

"Oh, yea... My roommate," I nodded in the direction of my truck, "her boyfriend got attacked by one of them things. The two of 'em went to get breakfast this mornin', the area was cleared out, and he got bitten. She came home, completely freakin' out, and we left the apartment. But not before bein' attacked. And.. that _thing_ got her boyfriend." I explained.

"I'm very sorry." Dale offered a sincere look. I shrugged slightly, trying to brush off the horrible event.

"I'm Andrea," The older blonde smiled lightly, "and this is my little sister Amy." I caught a hold on myself, and gave them a polite smile.

"And who is this?" Amy smiled at Cheyenne.

"Her name is Cheyenne." I said, looking at the child in my arms.

"Hi Cheyenne, I'm Amy." The young blonde stuck out her hand. Cheyenne hesitated, looking at me.

"It's okay, Chy." I spoke softly to her. Cheyenne looked back at Amy and took her hand, giving it a gentle shake. I gave Amy a greatful smile, and then turned my head back to Dale.

"Is there a road block, or somethin'?" I asked, straining to see over the cars.

"Not sure, there are a lot of cars parked along the highway. I think someone closer to the front had mentioned that they had the roads blocked off." Dale explained, his eyes following mine. I sighed, and shifted my weight. I saw movement ahead, and saw a man coming our way. A young boy was walking beside him. When he reached us, I noticed he had bottles of water in his hands.

"Name's Shane Walsh, and this here is Carl. Thought you folks could use some water in this heat." The man offered the bottles.

"That's very nice, thanks." Amy smiled, and took the water that Shane handed her. I took the bottle he handed me and gave him a thankful smile.

"So do you know anything that's goin' on up there?" I nodded toward the line up of cars, as I unscrewed the top on my water bottle, and handed it to Cheyenne, who I had put on the road. She stood very close to me, and took the bottle, eagerly gulping down a few sips of water.

"Military, from the looks of it. Not lettin' anyone go into the city. Not really sure what's goin' on, but it ain't good." Shane said, shaking his head. "I just wanna get out of here and somewhere safe."

I grabbed Cheyenne's hand, and walked along the line of cars. I left Dale and Shane to talk, and walked on to see who else I could find. As I walked, I noticed two men in a truck with a motorcycle on the back. They both looked up at me as I walked by. One of them had cold hard eyes, and he just looked creepy. The other one, who looked younger, just gave me a smirk, and looked out his window, before getting out of the truck.

"That's a pretty little one you have." A female's voice caught my attention away from the two men. I turned to see a dark haired female smiling at me.

"Thanks, but she's not... She's my cousin." I explained looking down at Cheyenne. The woman saw the water bottle I was holding, and looked back up at me.

"So you met Shane and my son Carl?" She asked.

"Oh, yea. They were great. Gave me some water. I know Cheyenne needed it." I said, and Cheyenne nodded her head.

"That's a pretty name." The woman knelt down in front of her. "My name is Lori, and if you and your cousin need anything, I can do my best to help." Lori offered a sweet smile, and I knew that she was doing her best in this whole mess of a situation.

"Thank you..very much. I'm Spencer." I said, and she stood back up to take my hand.

"I really don't know what is going on... I mean everything's been so hectic..." She shook her head, and there was a distant look in her eyes.

"I know what ya mean." I agreed. "But your husband and son seem to have everything under control." I grinned, looking back in the direction they had been.

"Shane's not my husband." Lori said softly. "He was a deputy before all this, and my husband was the sheriff. They were partners." I looked at Lori and saw slight pain on her face. I decided not to ask any questions. It really was none of my business.

"At least he's tryin' to keep folks calm. I don't think I could do that much." I half laughed. Lori's smile reappeared.

"You seem to be doing a good job with the little one." Lori looked at Cheyenne with a slight sadness. "I remember when Carl was her age..." She trailed off.

"They grow fast." I admitted, turning my head. I suddenly thought about Shay. I turned back toward Lori. "Lori, it was great to meet ya, but I gotta go check on my friend. I gotta 'nother girl with me, my age. An' she ain't doin' so hot."

"Is she okay? Was she bitten?" Lori asked, her face growing serious.

"No, no. Nothin' like that. She lost her boyfriend this mornin'... An' it's hittin' her pretty hard." I explained. "He got taken right from her... We had to watch him be torn apart."

"Oh, God, that's awful." Lori's hand was at her chest. "I am so sorry, Spencer."

"It's okay, Imma go check on her." I said, and began to walk away.

"If you need anything, just come talk to me or Shane!" Lori called.

"Thanks, Lori!" I called back. I started walking back toward the RV. Cheyenne was beside me, holding my hand tight. I walked by the truck again, and this time the two men were gone. But as I walked by, I quickly caught sight of them.

I could barely see the younger one, he was knelt down in the bed of the truck, looking at the motorcycle. The older one was sitting on the tailgate, and it looked as if he were...drinking. Well, who was I to judge what people do in the situation? Everyone handles things differently. I guess that I just didn't think drinking was appropriate at a time like this. But maybe we all needed a drink.

"You're one pretty piece." The older one snarled, snapping me out of my thoughts. I wasn't sure what to say, I was in shock. I just glared at him, and kept walking. I turned back quickly to see the younger one look up at me, with a smirk, and then look back down and shake his head.

_Whatever._ I thought. For some reason, my thoughts were screaming at me that those two might be trouble. At least the older one. Maybe he was just rude, but harmless. Hell, I had handled much worse before. I could handle a pervert. I laughed at the thought.

"What's so funny, Spencer?" Dale asked, a smile spreading across his face.

"Nothin' really. Who are those two guys? The ones in the truck with the motorcycle in the back?" I asked, looking at Shane.

"Oh, them. Dixons. Not the most friendly people here, as we've learned, but they seem harmless so far. Merle is the older one, and Daryl is the younger one. They seem to just be doin' what everyone else is. Tryin' to find a safe place to settle in for the night." Shane explained.

"Yea..." I trailed off, looking back at the two. I caught Daryl standing up and jumping off the truck. I turned back toward the others and smiled. "What are we gonna do now? This road block ain't movin'."

"If anything drastic happens, I'll figure out somethin'." Shane nodded.

"Hey, Carl, I met your mom. She's really nice." I smiled at the young boy. He grinned back.

"She's okay." He smiled. Shane laughed, along with Dale, Amy, and Andrea.

"You know your mom is great." Shane smiled. Carl just kept grinning. Shane looked back up at us, still smiling. "If you folks need anything, feel free to come down there," he pointed toward a white jeep, "that's where we're at. Just a few cars down."

"Thanks." I gave a thankful smile, and the others all did the same.

"I wish this road block would clear out." Amy said, and her voice sounded worried.

"Me too." I agreed. I turned toward my truck and began walking toward it. I got to the passenger side, and opened the door. Shay's eyes were filled with terror still.

"Shay," I said with a gentle voice, "there are a lot of people here, who are in the same situation that we're in. Why don't you come on out?" I was trying to get her out of the truck.

"Okay." Shay managed to speak, and climbed out the truck. We walked back toward the RV in silence. I glanced over and noticed Shay walking with her arms wrapped securely around herself. I knew she was in bad shape, emotionally.

"Guys, this is my best friend, Shay." I introduced her to the first group of people I had met.

"I'm Dale." He offered a warm smile.

"Amy," Amy smiled.

"And I'm the older sister, Andrea." The older blonde gave a slight smile.

"Hi." Shay offered with a weak voice. She looked around, and saw all of the people. "I'm guessing nobody knows what's going on?"

"No, the road block has been unmoving for hours now." Andrea sighed. I looked around, the harsh reality settling in. Right now, if anything bad happened, we were all in trouble. Because the thing about it all, was that we were stuck. Stuck with nowhere to go.

* * *

I stood, leaned against the hood of Shane's jeep, with Lori and Shay. Cheyenne was sitting in the back of a vehicle with Carl and Sophia, watching as the two older kids played checkers. I had met Carol and Sophia, and I liked the two of them. Carol's husband, Ed, that was a whole different story right there. He was a major dick.

"Are we gonna go soon?" Sophia asked, her voice strained with worry.

"I don't know baby, I sure hope so." Carol said, looking overhead, her voice holding as much comfort as possible.

"I'm hungry." Carl blurted out.

"I know, Carl. We all are." Lori said, fiddling with her necklace.

"Know what, I'll get 'em something to eat." Carol spoke up. "Ed's into all that survival stuff, we got enough MREs to feed a small army." Carol turned to walk around the car.

"I sure appreciate it." Lori said, hopping off the hood.

"No trouble!" Carol called as she walked around the car. I saw Ed stop her, and could hear him going on about how it wasn't her place to give away his food. She finally gave in, and walked around the car.

I watched as Lori walked over to Shane, who was sitting in a car, listening to the the radio. But all he was picking up was static. I could overhear them talking, and Shane was visibly upset when he got out of the car. The radio's signals were out. This was all so bad.

Shane walked by, and Lori followed. Carol walked up to Lori, telling her they had forgotten to pack the MREs. I wanted to roll my eyes, not at Carol, but at the way she let Ed treat her. Lori asked her to watch Carl for a minute, while she and Shane walked off. I looked at Shay.

"Well, we might be sleepin' in my truck tonight." I looked out at a small opening and could barely see the city. I imagined people there, safe and warm, tucked into their beds. I was ready for this road block to be over so we could get moving.

"Is it safe?" Shay asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"I really do-" I was cut off by the roar of engines overhead. We looked up, seeing planes flying over toward the city. "The hell..." I trailed off, and my jaw dropped when the first bomb went off. I ran toward the opening in the brush and looked at the scene before me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

The planes flew over, releasing bombs on the city. No, this couldn't be happening! My heart was pounding, and I could feel my adrenaline pumping. I watched as orange-ish red fiery explosions melted away into fire and black smoke. I began to panic, realizing that the city wasn't safe after all. It was being bombed.

"Everyone, come on! Follow me!" Shane and Lori were running. "I know a place we can go!" I ran over and grabbed up Cheyenne. Shay and I ran to my truck, and jumped in. I cranked it up, and waited for Shane's lead. As soon as I saw his vehicle, I noticed that a few others were following his lead.

I whipped in behind Dale's RV, and noticed that the Dixon brothers were behind me. I drove close to the RV's rear, as I looked into my rearview mirror. I could see Merle's face in the darkness, laughing. How could he be laughing at a time like this? There was nothing funny here.

I felt my anger at him subside, and I looked ahead. I really hoped that Shane knew what he was doing, and where he was going. I wondered if it would be somewhere safe. What was safe? I had just witnessed the only place I had for a destination being blown to pieces. I felt fear, plain cold fear, creeping into my mind. I glanced into my rearview mirror, to see Cheyenne, tears streaking her small cheeks. My heart broke.

* * *

**Hey guys, hope you enjoyed that chapter ! I know it was mostly filler, but it helps explain how the group gets started. I am so excited to be doing this story. Thanks for my amazing reviews ! I am so happy that the first chapter was successful so far, and I am hoping that this story will be even better than the last one I did. Thanks to all the readers as well, you guys are awesome ! More will be coming soon !**

**~Kaila G.**


	3. Chapter 3

We drove for what seemed like forever. The area we were traveling through was quite secluded. I felt like I had been driving inlined, uphill for so long, when we finally reached a small clearing. Even through the darkness, I could tell we had found whatever it was that Shane was looking for. I pulled up close to the RV, and put my truck in park. Everyone began getting out of their cars, so I grabbed a sleepy Cheyenne, and held her close, as I walked over to where Lori and Shane were standing.

"What'er we gonna do now?" I asked quietly, as Dale walked up with Andrea and Amy beside him.

"We need to settle in, and secure the area." Shane instructed. "Go into the city and get supplies. It's the only way we'll be able to stay here for a while. We can assemble a group to go into town soon enough. It'll be daylight in a couple of hours."

I nodded, and stared when I saw a boy I hadn't seen earlier. Where had he been hiding? I squinted through the darkness, and when he came around the side of the RV, I nearly grinned. It was the kid that delivered our pizza the night before. Unbelievable. He walked up to stand beside Dale, and when he saw me, he tilted his head.

"Glenn, right?" I asked. "I didn't see you earlier, back there on the road."

"Yea, I remember you. You ordered that pizza... I was in the RV trying to map out the area, and figure out where to go next. Also trying to get the radio to work. I saw you talking to Lori, but it was too dark to see who you were. Then the bombs..." Glenn trailed off.

"Well, I'm Spencer, and this is Cheyenne, and that's Shay." I introduced my small group of three. Glenn smiled at us and looked at Dale.

"I should go with whoever is planning on going into the city." Glenn offered. "I know my way around, and I'm good at getting in and out of places quick."

"I think that's a good idea. As long as you're careful." Dale warned, his face serious. I looked to Shane, and pulled my .22 from the small of my back.

"I know how to shoot." I offered. "And I'm pretty quick on my feet."

"Look, everyone just get some rest. We'll start a watch, and keep someone on post. When day breaks, we'll gather up and go into town." Shane said, looking at us all.

"I'll go." A voice caused us all to turn, as Daryl Dixon came strutting up, with what looked like a crossbow in hand. My eyes were adjusted enough to see everyone somewhat clearly.

"Great. At least there are plenty of volunteers." Shane shrugged, and even in the darkness, I could tell there was a smile on his face. We all walked off our own ways, and I put Cheyenne down in the back seat of my truck. She was asleep, and I figured that it was a good thing. There might be many sleepless nights ahead. I sighed.

"You can't go into the city." Shay whispered, looking at me. I looked back at her, studying her face in the darkness.

"I have to. They're gonna need as many people as possible, and I can shoot." I explained. "We gotta get supplies, or we'll never make it."

"It won't be safe." Shay shook her head. "Look around, Spencer. Nothing's safe! Not our apartment, or town. Not the city. We just watched it get bombed to hell and back. And now you want to go trotting off into Atlanta to find supplies? Do you know how many people are in Atlanta? I highly doubt they all left. Alive." Shay had a good point.

"I know, but listen. Like Glenn said, it'll be an in and out sorta deal. Ain't no fiddle faddle bullshit. This is serious. We need supplies, Shay. We won't survive without 'em." I tried to convince her that this was the right thing to do.

"And what do I tell Cheyenne if you don't come back?" Shay asked, her voice strained.

"I will." I said surely, hoping that my confidence wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass.

* * *

The sun was rising, and the group was getting prepared for the trip into the city. I placed my gun snug into the small of my back, securely in my jeans. I looked over at Lori, who was watching me with worried eyes. I offered a smile, and walked over to Shane and Glenn.

"What's the plan?" I asked, leaning against Shane's jeep.

"Daryl and Merle are going to unload the motorcycle off the truck. Gonna take the truck and my jeep. Get down close to the city, and stop. Walk the rest of the way. Get in and out as quickly as possible." Shane nodded toward the Dixons' truck. Sure enough, Daryl and Merle were taking the motorcycle off the back. I wrinkled my nose slightly, and looked at Shane.

"Who's ridin' with who?" I asked, fearing that I already knew the answer.

"Merle's too fucked up to do anything, so Daryl offered to go. Morales, Andrea, and T-Dog are ridin' with me." Shane said, looking at me with slight concern. "Can you handle Dixon?"

"I guess so." I said quietly, looking over at the redneck. He looked at us, with an impatient glare, his eyes cold. Cold and hard. I looked away, and took a look around.

I realized that there were a lot more people here than I thought. I felt comforted, something told me that power would come in numbers. At least we had something to back us up. We had a group, and it wasn't a small one either. It was like our very own little refugee camp. I almost laughed.

"Ain't got all day!" I heard Daryl growl, so I looked at Glenn.

"You ready?" I asked.

"No." Glenn admitted.

"Good, then let's go." I turned on my heels and headed for the truck. I turned back to see Shay watching me go. "Take care of Chy!" I called to her. She gave me a thumbs up, and I shook my head. She was still pissed that I was making this trip. Oh, well. What can you do?

"I guess we're riding with you." Glenn said, his voice soft. Daryl grunted, but didn't say a word. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I stopped myself. Not even a day with this asshole, and I was already getting tired of him. Glenn and I walked around to the passenger side, and stared at each other. Glenn's stare began to turn into a pleading look.

"Oh, fine!" I huffed, and I climbed up into the truck, settling in beside Daryl. Glenn hopped in and shut the door, giving me a thanful look. I just shook my head slightly, and looked at the windshield.

Daryl cranked up the truck, and followed Shane, who drove down away from our little safe place. I watched as the trees flew by and Daryl turned sharply, hitting the brake, and gassing it, kicking up dirt. The move caused me to be slung into him, and I nearly yelped when I slid. I grabbed the grip handle, and gave him a glare.

"What?" He growled, glaring right back.

"Nothin'." I mumbled, looking back at the windshield. I kept my eyes on the road, and our surroundings, trying to ignore Daryl's crazy driving. I kept a firm grip on the handle in front of me, and tilted my head slightly to glare at Glenn. He gave me an apologetic look before turning to look out of the window.

It seemed like only minutes before Shane stopped ahead of us. Daryl slowed to a stop behind him and parked the truck. Glenn jumped out of the passenger side, and I was right behind him, ready to get out of that truck. I looked at Shane, and I must have been shooting daggers out of my eyes, because he chuckled.

"You okay?" He grinned.

"Fine. So what now?" I asked, looking at everyone.

"Get in and get out." Glenn said surely. "I know the way. We just have to be very quiet, and very sneaky. We'll be able to get what we need and get the hell out of there."

"He's right. We need to make this quick." T-Dog agreed.

"Then let's go." I said, feeling ready. We all walked in silence toward the city. I felt as if someone was watching me. I looked around, seeing nothing. Paranoid, I shook my head.

"You all right, Spencer?" T-Dog asked, looking at me with a sincere look.

"I'm okay." I nodded my head. "Jus' feel...paranoid." I admitted.

"Don't we all?" He smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back. We kept walking, and I began to notice what buildings were what. You could tell the grocery stores from the shopping centers. But still, everything looked dead.

"Try to get as much canned food as possible." Shane ordered. "Camping gear, weapons, whatever you can find, grab it. Try not to shoot your gun unless you absolutely have to. We have no idea what we're dealin' with, or how many of them things are out there. This is the city, we will more than likely be very outnumbered. Don't let yourself get cornered."

"Got it." Andrea looked ready to get this over with. I nodded in agreement, and knew the feeling. I wanted to get back to our little quarry, and back to our people. Back to Cheyenne and back to Shay. I tried not to think negative thoughts, as we walked quietly, getting closer to the store areas.

Somehow, I managed to be on the same wall as Daryl, go figure. We crept along quietly, he had taken it upon himself to go ahead of me. _How sweet_, I thought with sarcasm. I looked around nervously, watching for any movement. We reached the corner of the building, and quickly darted inside.

The first thing I saw was one of those things walking toward us. I had heard some of the group referring to them as 'walkers'. I pulled my gun out, but before I could even think, the thing was on the ground with an arrow through its head. I looked over Daryl, who had a smirk on his face.

"Man said no guns." He growled. I was not starting a fight with him. Not here. I just shook my head, and kept my gun down. We split up and began looking around the store.

I found a bag, similar to a duffel bag, and began throwing things inside. Anything that looked useful, I threw into the bag. I pocketed a few things, too. Just in case. Never know when a knife or two might come in handy. Before I knew it, Daryl was at the end of the isle I was in, staring at me with impatience. I slung the bag over my shoulder, and nodded.

Without a word, we crept back out of the store and made our way around the back. I could see Glenn, Andrea, and T-Dog already making their way back to where we came from. Daryl and I walked quickly, but quietly, toward them. I heard a noise, and drew my gun, turning quickly.

"Whoa." Shane's voice made me relax.

"Sorry." I whispered, lowering my gun. I kept walking back toward the vehicles. I caught Daryl's eye, and noticed him looking at me as if I were stupid. Now it was my turn.

"What?" I snapped at him. He just stared at me, snorted, and kept walking. I decided to just let it go, I didn't have time to go rounds with him. I needed to get back to Cheyenne, quick. I was getting worried.

We finally reached the vehicles, and I climbed back into the truck. Of course, I was chosen by Glenn to sit in the middle again. I leaned toward Glenn the whole ride back. Daryl never once looked at either of us, and was silent for the entire ride. As soon as we reached the camp area and he parked the truck, I jumped out quickly, and made my way over to everyone.

"Spencerrrr!" Cheyenne dove into my arms. I picked her up and held her close.

"I missed you." I whispered to her.

"Missed you." She whispered back. I noticed everyone watching us, with slight smiles, and I felt myself begin to blush. I turned toward my truck, Cheyenne still in my arms. I noticed Daryl slinging his crossbow over his shoulder, and stalking off towards the woods. I wondered if he'd be okay...

_Who cares? _I shook my head at the thought and sighed. Daryl was a jerk, and Merle an even bigger one. I'm sure they can take care of themselves. I smiled as Cheyenne began asking me a million questions about our trip into the city, and I tried to answer all of them as kid-friendly as possible.

Once satisfied, she ran off to play with Carl, Sophia, and Morales's two kids. I knew that Cheyenne would be safe with these people looking after her. I knew these people were a safe place. Everyone seemed to be eager to help the others out. All except the Dixons and Ed. They weren't much for emotional support, nor babysitting. I grimaced at the thought, as I let my tailgate down, and took a seat.

* * *

**Hey, yall. Hope yall enjoyed this chapter ! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews on Ch 1 & Ch 2 ! This chapter was difficult, because they don't really show much of the FIRST few supply runs in season 1. I had to wing it. I figured since Shane seemed to not really go into the city, I would throw him into the mix for the first supply run ever. And don't worry, I said the Daryl/Spencer relationship was going to be slow, and it is. Spencer won't have to worry about being stuck with him again for a while. Merle was just a bit drunk hehe.**

**Tonight's episode was so sad. Daryl left (wahhhhh) Rick's cheese done slipped off the cracker (Lawdddd) Glenn is sad, Carl is sad, Carol is sad, Beth is sad, they all just sad, sad, sad. Daryl is gonna have a lot of ass kissing to do for this betrayal. **

**But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and don't worry, I am going to start rewatching the first season so I can really begin this story and get it on track. i am so excited ! Thanks again for the awesome reviews !**

**~Kaila G.**


	4. Chapter 4

I was sitting in the RV listening to Dale share stories with Amy, Glenn, and Andrea. Lori and Shane were off somewhere, I wasn't sure where. Sophia and Carl were with Carol underneath a small shelter that Shane had set up. The sky was dark and nasty. I sighed as I looked out of the RV window.

I could see Cheyenne sitting with Carl and Sophia, and I could tell that the three children were listening intently to whatever Carol was talking about. I smiled at sight. They were still so innocent and sweet. I hoped that this new world wouldn't change them. Hopefully all of this would be over soon. I wished everyday for something to change. And everyday, I was disappointed.

I stood and walked out of the RV. As I walked over to Carol and the kids, I felt a raindrop fall onto my cheek. I looked up at the dark sky, and squinted slightly. Suddenly, raindrops began to fall all around me, on me. I smiled at the cool water sliding over my skin. It felt amazing in the heat.

I changed direction, and walked over to my truck, sitting on the tailgate. Looking into the woods, my thoughts began to wander through my head. So far, this place had been a miracle in this awful crisis. I just wondered how long that would last. How long would we be safe here? I think Shane questioned that himself, I could see it on his face everyday.

The rain was pouring down on me, and I felt myself grin. _Time to stop thinking about the bad. Just enjoy the rain, _I thought to myself. The cool water made me relax. For once, I wasn't burning up in the searing heat of the Georgia summer. I figured maybe this was God's way of giving me a break. _Thanks a lot J.C._

Something caught my eye, and I squinted through the rain. I was preparing to grab my gun, when I saw it was only Daryl. He was trudging through the woods, and broke out into the clearing. With a string of dead animals. A few squirrels, a...rabbit? I couldn't quite tell. His eyes caught mine, and I turned my head back Carol's way, seeing Cheyenne talking with a smile. She was doing better than I thought she would, considering the situation.

I turned my head back just in time to see Daryl standing almost right in front of me. We just stared at each other for a moment. His hard, blue eyes were glaring slightly. I began to wonder what I had done now? He always looked at everyone in the group with that menacing glare. I felt my head tilt slightly when the glare turned into a smirk.

"Seen my brother?" He grunted the sentence out. I shook my head as I spoke.

"Not since this mornin'." I replied, looking up at the rain that was falling from the sky. I was soaked, but I didn't care. I didn't care what Daryl Dixon thought of me.

Without a word, he stalked off to the tent he shared with Merle. He looked inside, and set the dead animals down, just inside the tent. Turning from the tent, Daryl walked around, looking here and there. When he realized his brother wasn't around, he walked back over to the tent, scooped up his catch, and walked off toward the edge of the trees.

I rolled my eyes and hopped off the tailgate. I should really be more sparing with my clothes. But I just couldn't pull myself out of the rain. There was only a slight sprinkle now, so I walked to the driver's side of my truck, and opened the door. I jumped back quickly, when I saw the knife, stumbling.

"Oh my God!" Shay cried, staring at me. "I'm so sorry, Spence... I was asleep." Her face was pale, and she looked only half awake. Her eyes had dark circles underneath them. I frowned slightly.

"It's okay. I jus' need some clothes... Shay, are you all right?" I asked, staring at her worriedly.

"Just haven't been sleeping well." Shay admitted, setting down the knife, and rubbing her eyes.

"Me either." I agreed. I smiled lightly at her. "But maybe this place is safer'n we thought, ya know? Maybe it'll all be fine."

"I hope so." Shay said, looking out of the window. "Damn, I missed the rain."

"Prolly why you were sleepin' so good." I half laughed. Shay actually broke into a smile.

"I guess so. Where is everyone?" She asked, looking around. She spotted Carol and the kids. "I see Cheyenne had no trouble making friends."

"Yea. Even though they're way older, they've seemed to have taken to her." I had observed this in the way that Carl and Sophia treated Cheyenne.

"Well, I'm up, I'm up." Shay mumbled, opening her door, and climbing out of the truck. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she walked over to Carol and began talking to her. I set my sights back on my bag, and grabbed some clean clothes. I looked around realizing that I really had no place to change. No place private, at least.

I sighed, and began walking toward the small lake area. The place was somewhat secluded at this time, that I knew of. I walked down toward the water, and veered off near the trees. I was pretty much away from the group, and sure no one would see me. I should have asked Dale if I could change in the RV, but I didn't want to interrupt them.

I grabbed the side of one boot, pulling it off my foot, hopping on the other as I did. Setting the boot down, I grabbed the other one and pulled it off. Taking another glance around, I pulled my jeans off quickly, and slid on a pair of denim shorts. I turned away from camp, facing the woods, and took off my shirt. Reaching around my back, I unhooked my bra, and dropped it on the ground.

I picked up my clean bra, and made sure it was hooked correctly. I pulled it on quickly, and adjusted it. I leaned down and picked up my shirt. I was just about to put it on, when I heard a whistle. I turned quickly, making sure my shirt was covering my front. I saw Merle standing behind me, about eight yards away, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"YOU ASSHOLE!" I snapped, pulling my shirt on quickly, and bending down. I picked up the first rock I saw, and chucked it in his direction. He dodged it, laughing.

"Ain't you jus' a pretty lil' thing!" He droned. "Got some bite to that bark, I like it!" Merle gave me this look that creeped me out to my core.

"You're disgustin'!" I huffed, as I shoved my boots on, and stormed past him. I could hear him chuckling, and I wanted to throw up. What a creep. I stomped into the camp area, and when I saw Daryl, I marched right up to him. He must have heard us, because there was a slight grin on his face. I started to say something, but the look on his face told me I wouldn't get anywhere. I just threw my clothes over my shoulder, and walked away, throwing my hands in the air in defeat. I heard Daryl chuckle, and it took all I could do not to turn around and give him a good ol' bitch slap.

We had been two weeks, maybe. I wasn't much for keeping up with the time, Dale was the one who did that. But nearly two weeks, and I already hated Merle. He was a creep, and honestly I didn't feel comfortable with him around. He was a drunk, and God knows what else he kept stashed in his little saddle bag. I had to admit, unfortunately, that he did contribute to the group. Supply runs, hunting.

Still, he was disgusting, and the way he had looked at me... I shivered, shaking my head. I wanted to punch him in the face. I had really thought about it. I might have had to if that rock would have hit him. I nearly laughed at the thought. I walked around the side of my truck, and Shane was right in front of me. Slightly stunned, I took a step back and stared at him.

"Spencer, you okay? I heard you yell." He looked off in the direction I had come from, seeing Merle walking out of the woods with a big grin on his face. I rolled my eyes.

"Yea, I'm fine." I said. "I was changin' in the woods, and Merle saw me. I threw a rock at him, but missed." I shook my head.

"Did he try to..?" Shane trailed off, and I laughed.

"No, he didn't try nothin." I said. "I think he knows better. I'd kick his ass." Shane looked at me funny, before laughing.

"I bet you could." He smiled.

"You know it... But thanks. For checkin' on me." I said sincerely.

"It's my job." Shane said, and I smiled. I turned away and walked over to Cheyenne. "C'mere Chy." I said to my little munckin. She jumped up into my arms with a big grin on her face.

"I hearded you in the woods. You cussed." Cheyenne said, her blue eyes growing wide for a moment, then she giggled. I laughed.

"Yes, I did. Bad Spencer." I scolded myself.

"You're not bad." Cheyenne shook her head. "Jus' annoyed."

"Ahh, look at ya, with ya extended vocabulary. And yes, I was very annoyed." I agreed with her.

"Spencer, I'm hung-wee." She mumbled, looking at me.

"I might have jus' the thing for that empty belly." I said, turning her quickly in my arms so that her belly was exposed. I began tickling her. Her giggles filled the air, as she pleaded with me.

"Stop! Stop, Spencer!" She giggled.

"What'dya say?" I asked, still tickling her.

"Pleeeaaase!" Cheyenne begged. I stopped tickling her, and took her hand.

"Okay, since you said please..." I trailed off, when I looked up and saw Daryl staring at us. As soon as my eyes met his, he looked back down at the squirrel he was murdering, and kept skinning it. What was that all about?

I shook my head, and walked with Cheyenne to my truck. I opened the driver's side door, and rummaged around in my bag, grabbing a can of spaghetti o's. When Cheyenne saw the can, her eyes lit up. I laughed at her facial expression.

"I saw it, and grabbed it for ya. Don't get used to it, baby girl." I said that last sentence truthfully. She might be eating that squirrel one day. I glanced over to see Daryl look in our direction briefly, then look back down. Before I could question it, something caught my eye.

I saw someone walking over to us. I set Cheyenne in the driver's seat, and opened the small can for her. Glenn walked up, but before he could open his mouth to speak, I stopped him with my own words.

"Can ya watch her for jus' a second? I gotta grab her a fork."

"Okay." Glenn nodded, and I jogged off toward Carol.

"Hey!" I called, slowing to a walk. "Carol, you gotta plastic fork?"

"Yes, we do have some. Plenty, actually." Carol smiled, turning to dig in a small bag. She handed me a plastic fork and half laughed. "Lori told Shane to grab some. Glad she did, huh?"

"Very glad! Thanks." I gave her a thankful smile, and turned back to Cheyenne. I jogged back over to her, and handed her the fork. "Here ya go, Chy."

"Thank you!" Cheyenne barely got the words out before she dug into her dinner.

"Now that you're back," Glenn teased, "tomorrow we're going into the city. Andrea, T-Dog, Morales, Merle...You?" He questioned, looking at me.

"Sure, I'll go." I agreed, and Glenn gave me a greatful look.

"Great, I was hoping you'd say yes." Glenn admitted and I laughed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because... You're my friend. I like when you go on supply runs with us. You're easy to get along with." Glenn explained.

"You're pretty cool, ya self." I grinned. "I jus' dread puttin' up with Merle."

"See...actually that's another reason I wanted you to go. It kinda puts the attention off of me..." Glenn looked down, and laughed.

"Hey!" I half whined. "That ain't cool. Now I see why ya always askin' me to go with y'all. Ass."

"I'm definitely kidding." Glenn said, straight faced.

"No ya ain't." I said back.

"No.. I'm not." Glenn admitted, cracking a smile. I rolled my eyes. Glenn walked towards the RV, probably going to talk to Dale. I smiled, because I really liked Dale. He was like a father figure. He just seemed to fit perfectly in the group.

I turned my attention back to Cheyenne. She was still eating, and looking very content. It felt good to know that she was okay. I was keeping her fed and safe, and that was all that mattered to me at this point. I just had to keep her safe. I tussled her hair, and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

**Okay guys, hope yall enjoyed that chapter ! The next chapter is when it all goes to hell and a hand basket. Haha... I am definitely enjoying this, and already coming up with ideas for future chapters. It might not be until this weekend before I update again, but don't worry, I will as soon as I can sit down and watch season 1 again. Thanks so much for all the amazing readers and reviewers !**

**~Kaila G**


	5. Chapter 5

_"What'dya s'pose I do now?" He asked raising an eyebrow. I laughed. I was sixteen again, and my nineteen year old brother had just dropped out of law school. He didn't even last six months, which caused my laugh to turn into a grin. I knew my brother was much too creative and free-spirited to be a lawyer._

_"Anything you want!" I exclaimed, looking around. The store was quiet, the cashier looked up at us and smiled. She was young, maybe eighteen, with long black hair. Her dark eyes had a hint of a smile as she watched us standing there talking._

_"Anthing I want..." He mumbled, a smirk coming across his face. "Let's go. Jus' go!"_

_"Go? Go where?" I asked, confusion in my voice._

_"I dunno. Jus' pack up the car and go." _

_"Sam, our parents will kill us..." I tried to sound convincing, but I wanted to go along with his idea._

_"Oh, come on Spence! Live a little! They're gonna kill me either way, when they find out I dropped outta law school." My brother grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He was trying really hard to convince me. _

_"Fine! Fine, we'll go. But not'a word to nobody!" I said, shaking my head. "You're a bad influence on me, ya know."_

_"That's what older brothers do." Sam said, giving me a goofy smile. I turned walk out of the door, when I heard a snarl. I turned back around, just in time to see the cashier jump on Sam. She bit into his throat, and blood began squirting onto the floor. His hand was twisted awkwardly, reaching for me, as he made gurgling noises. Then, he fell to the floor. I screamed._

I sat up, jumping out of my sleep. I threw the sleeping bag off of me, and glanced over at Shay and Cheyenne. They were both sound asleep. I turned the tent flap, unzipping it as quietly as possible. As soon as I had it open, I lunged out of the tent, and walked quickly down to the lake area. I looked around, seeing I was alone. Good.

Kneeling down at the edge of the water, I scooped water into my hands, and splashed it on my face. I felt myself trembling slightly, as I scooped up more water, and threw it against my face. I sat down in the dirt, looking out at the water, shimmering in the early morning sun. I closed my eyes, willing the dream to go away. Just go away. The memory I had dreamed of really happened... All except the walker part. That was just conjured up from my brain. I sighed.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I turned my head quickly. I saw it was only Merle, followed by Daryl, walking out of the woods. They walked toward the camp, not saying anything. Not that I had expected them to. I knew I would hear enough from Merle when we went into the city. I sighed, and pushed myself up off the ground.

Walking back toward the group, I began to think of Sam. I wondered where he was. Was he safe? I knew I shouldn't be thinking about him, because thinking about it only makes you drive your own self crazy. But he was my big brother... He had always stood up for me, when nobody else in the whole world would. I could feel a lump rising in my throat.

_Stop!_ I ordered myself. I forced myself to think about the task at hand. It was time to get ready, and go into the city. Our group needed supplies, we were all running short on things. I trudged up the small dirt incline, and walked over to the tent I shared with Shay. I peeped my head inside, to see it empty.

"Looking for someone?" I heard Andrea's voice behind me. I turned to see her nod at the RV. "They're both inside with Dale and Amy. Dale is telling one of his famous stories."

"Then they all must be very entertained." I grinned and Andrea laughed.

"Yes. Shane and Lori are up there trying to get the radio to work." Andrea shook her head. "Don't think they're getting anywhere."

"I'm thinkin' we might not hear nobody on the radio for a long time." I said, and my voice was oddly calm. Andrea looked at me, and tilted her head slightly.

"You sure you're okay to come with us into the city? You look a little pale." Andrea stared at me. I shifted from one foot to the other, giving a smile.

"No, I'm fine." I said surely. "Jus' didn't sleep good." I admitted, but I was not about to go into detail. The last thing I needed was to relive that dream.

"Very understandable." Andrea nodded her head, placing her hands on her hips. She looked back up at the RV's roof. "Maybe they'll get that radio working."

"Maybe.." I followed her gaze, and watched as Shane tried with his best efforts to pick up a signal. He became pissed, slammed the thing down, and climbed down the ladder of the RV. Lori had scrambled down after him, following him into the woods. Figuring the radio as a lost cause, I turned back to my tent, so that I could prepare for our trip into the city. Stepping inside the tent, I realized I had left my gun beside my sleeping bag.

_Stupid, stupid!_ I scolded myself, angrily. How could I have walked down to the lake, alone, and not have taken my gun? That kind of mistake could have caused me my life. I felt like I was being hard on myself, but it wasn't all about me. I had Cheyenne to think about. I had to protect her. How could I do that if I was dead?

I grabbed my gun, shoving it into the waist band of my shorts. I looked around, realizing that there really wasn't a whole lot more I needed. I snatched up my duffel bag, and stepped back out of the tent. Looking around, I saw Andrea and Glenn walking toward me. I began walking in their direction, meeting them halfway.

"You about ready, Spencer?" Glenn asked, giving me a half smile.

"All set." I nodded, and looked around once again. "What vehicle we takin'?"

"Maybe when can take yours?" Glenn asked, looking me. Andrea shrugged.

"Seems like a good idea to me. Jacqui's coming with us." She advised, and I was happy to know we'd have one more person along.

"Aight, then. My truck it is." I felt better knowing that I would be driving. At least Merle wouldn't have the chance to be wreckless. I shoved my duffel bag into the middle console, and climbed into the truck, but didn't shut my door. I stood waiting on the rest of the ones coming into the city.

I saw movement to the right of the woods, and saw Shane appear, Lori right behind him. Then it hit me. Of course... They had been hooking up out in the woods. That's why those two disappeared together all of the time. I thought about the day that Amy had heard someone on the radio, and Shane had tried to keep the contact. Lori had gotten upset, and stormed off.

Shane had consoled her somehow, and when she had returned in front of everyone else, she seemed to be in a much better mood. Thinking back, I had actually thought I had seen them kiss once, but dismissed it. I figured it was the heat playing tricks on me. Now, I knew it wasn't just the heat.

Suddenly, I heard a huge _thump_, and I turned quickly in my seat. Merle was standing on the back of my truck, grinning wickedly. I turned back to face the windshield, rolling my eyes. _Good Lord,_ I thought to myself. As soon as I saw the others coming, I shut my door.

Everyone piled into the truck quietly, and Andrea climbed into the passenger seat, giving me a firm smile. I grinned slightly, and looked out of my window at others who were staying behind. I saw Daryl say something to Merle, and then laugh. Shane gave us a slight wave with a look that said, _Be careful_.

"Y'all ready?" I asked, looking into my rear view mirror to see that Merle had sat down, his back against the inner side of the truck.

"Ready," Andrea answered, and I could hear mumbles of the other's readiness to go. I nodded, and cranked up my truck. Throwing it into reverse, I backed up, threw into drive, and headed down the dirt path. We drove silently to the city. Once I saw the area where we always parked, I stopped my truck, and we all began to get out. I turned to Glenn and gave him a smug look.

"Where we need to go this time?" I asked, giving a quick glance at Merle, who had his gun in his hands. _Great_, I thought.

"It's an easy in and out, as long as we're _all_ quiet." Glenn said, and I knew he meant Merle. I looked at Andrea and she nodded.

"This should be an easy run, everyone just watch your backs." She instructed calmly, but she looked nervous.

"Watch your back anyday." Merle cooed at Andrea, who rolled her eyes in return. Merle chuckled, and I shut my eyes. _This is gonna be a long day_, I grumbled in my head. I opened my eyes to see Glenn sharing the same look. I offered a forced smile at him, and turned toward the city.

"Let's go." I mumbled, and we all stalked off toward the buildings. Glenn led the way to this mall type building, and gave us whispered instructions to follow him closely and quietly. We all did as we were told, even Merle for once. Down a back alley, through gate, then another alley. We ran into two walkers, and Merle killed them with his hunting knife. I was quite impressed that he was keeping his big mouth shut, and not using his gun.

We climbed up a ladder, and I was thankful that Andrea was behind me. I did feel bad however, when I could hear Merle grumbling quiet comments about her "sweet ass". I looked down at Andrea momentarily, to see her glaring. I tried not to laugh, as I scrambled up the ladder quickly.

"Just spread out and get stuff you need-" We were interrupted by a noise. Was that the faint sound of a helicopter? My heart began to race as I tried to listen, but another noise interrupted. A horse..? Oh, God. We were going to get trapped up here. I looked around, trying to spot the source of the noise, but Glenn seemed to have already found it. We all followed his lead and looked down, to see whole different mess happening in the street below.

There was a man, or at least I thought it was a man. I could see a horse being devoured by a swarm of walkers. I frowned at the sight, my eyes darting back to the man, who was scrambling underneath a parked abandoned tank. Suddenly shots began to ring out. He was firing at the ones trying to crawl under the tank after him. I began to wait in horror, realizing that we couldn't help him. Then the shots stopped, and it was quiet. I couldn't take my eyes off of the tank.

"He made it inside." Glenn said surely.

"How do you know?" Andrea asked, her eyes wide.

"I just do." Glenn said grabbing the walkie. We saw the man appear, looking over at something in the street. But he had to duck back into the tank when walkers began climbing up the sides trying to get at him. Glenn pushed the walkie button.

"Hey you," He spoke into the walkie. "Dumbass. Yeah, you in the tank. Cozy in there? Hey, you alive in there?"

"Hello? Hello?" The man's voice was frantic.

"There you are, you had me wondering." Glenn mumbled.

"Where are you? Outside? Can you see me right now?" The man asked.

"Yeah, I can see you. You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news." Glenn spoke into the talkie.

"There's good news?" The guy asked, and I could barely hear a sliver of humor in his voice.

"No." Glenn replied flatly.

"Listen, whoever you are, I don't mind telling you I'm a little concerned in here." The man said, his country accent coating his voice.

"Oh man, you should see from over here," Glenn went on, "you'd be having a major freak out."

"Glenn, you're not helpin'!" I spat, giving him a dirty look.

"Got any advice for me?" The man asked, his voice sounding worried.

"Yeah," Glenn advised, "I'd say make a run for it."

"That's it? Make a run for it?" The voice asked from the other side.

"My way is not as dumb as it sounds. You got eyes on the outside here." Glenn was trying to make a plan in his head, I could see it. "There's one geek still up on the tank, the others have gotten down and join the f-feeding frenzy where the horse went down. You with me so far?"

"So far." He answered, but he sounded doubtful.

"Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you move now while the're distracted, you stand a chance. Got ammo?" Glenn was trying hard for this guy.

"In that duffel bag I dropped out there.." I quit listening. I looked at the bag and realized there was no way he could get it. I heard Glenn tell him it was not an option, and asking him what weapons he had on him. I heard the man say he had a Baretta with fifteen rounds. Before I knew it, Glenn was running off, walkie in hand.

"Where you goin'?" I called to him.

"To save this guy's ass!" Glenn called without looking back. I watched as the man emerged from the tank, smacking a walker with something. He dropped from the tank landing on the ground, hard. I watched him get to his feet, and he began firing off rounds like a crazy man as he ran. Then, I lost sight of him. A few minutes went by, and I was beginning to get worried.

Then I heard Glenn call in on the walkie, and I watched as Morales and T-Dog jumped toward the door in their protective gear, weapons ready. I heard slight noises outside, followed by Glenn yelling something, before he and the stranger came rushing through the door. Morales and T-Dog right behind them.

"Son-of-a-bitch! We oughtta kill you!" Andrea slammed the stranger up against some boxes. I noticed he was in a sheriff's uniform, and his face was drained a bit.

"Stop!" I yelled at her, and I was about to tell her to back off, but Morales beat me to it.

"Chill out, Andrea! Back off." He warned.

"Come on, please stop." Jacqui pleaded. Andrea kept on, and Morales was trying to convince her to leave the man alone. I just stood looking at Andrea as if she were stupid, finally I grabbed her arm harshly, and turned her toward me.

"Andrea, snap outta it!" I growled. "Yea, he popped off rounds, yea he's an idiot. But he jus' almost got killed, too. Give him a fuckin' break."

"We're dead. All of us." She said looking at me, then turned to Rick. "Because of you."

"I don't understand." The guy said, looking straight at me.

Morales began going on about how in order to survive, we had to be sneaky. It seemed as if everyone were ganging up on him all at once, as we walked, explaining that he had just fucked all of us over. I seemed to be the only one who hadn't yelled at him yet. A walker began smashing a rock into the store's outter door's glass.

Andrea asked him what he had been doing out there, and the stranger said he had been trying to flag down a helicopter. The others began giving him, yet again, more hell about how he had been imagining it and hallucinating. The man had an angry look in his eyes when he spoke.

"I saw it." He growled.

"Thought I heard it, too." I spoke up. Morales ignored us, and told T-Dog to check the cv radio to get in contact with the others. The sheriff began to spazz out, asking about the others and if there was a refugee camp. I laughed, as Jacqui shot down his dream real quick. T-Dog was becoming frustrated with the cv, and then his eyes lit up.

"The roof!" T-Dog said excitedly.

"Duh!" I smacked my palm against my forehead. We all tensed up when we heard gunshots coming from the roof.

"Oh, no, is that Dixon?" Andrea mumbled, as we all took off for the roof.

"SHIT!" I growled, as we ran up toward the roof. "Fuckin' Merle!" My thoughts ran rapidly through my mind as I realized that we were all fucked. Royally fucked.

* * *

**Well guys, you can only imagine what's next ! Thanks so much for the readers/reviewers/followers/favoriters ! I am hopin yall are enjoying this story ! There is much more to come, so everyone get ready. So excited for tonight ! Daryl better get his ass back to the group.. haha anyways, enjoy !**

**~Kaila G.**


	6. Chapter 6

We all ran up the stairs, and I could hear more gunshots going off. The shots rang through my ears as I cleared the last two steps. Morales burst through the door onto the roof, and I was hot on his heels. I could see Merle shooting down into the street below.

"Hey, Dixon! You crazy?" Morales growled at him as we all sprinted closer to him on the roof. Merle was chuckling, and I could hear Andrea groaning as another gunshot rang out.

"Huh? Heeeeeey, you oughtta be more polite to a man with a gun. Huh?" He jumped down from the concrete barrier with a smile. "Or common sense."

"You wasting bullets we ain't even got, man!" T-Dog confronted Merle. "And you bringin' more of 'em down here on our ass, man. Just chill!"

"Ay, it's bad enough I got this taco bender on my ass all day, now Imma take orders from you?" Merle spat at T-Dog. I glared at him, and gave him a death stare.

"Merle, shuttup!" I hissed.

"Sugar tits, you shuttup." Merle said calmly. He turned back to T-Dog. "I don't think so, Merle. That'll be the day."

"That'll be the day?" T-Dog asked, squinting at Merle.

"Oh, God. Here we go." I mumbled, putting a hand to my forehead.

"You got somethin' you wanna tell me?" T-Dog challenged.

"Hey T-Dog, man, just leave it." Morales tried.

"No!" T-Dog interrupted.

"It ain't worth it!" Morales tried again to convince him to shut up.

"He's right!" I exclaimed, trying to diffuse the situation. But T-Dog didn't even look at me.

"Now Merle, just relax." Morales said calmly to Merle, who was smirking. "Kay? We got enough trouble. I saw Glenn motioning for the sheriff to stand down out of the corner of my eye.

"Yea, Merle." I growled at him. "Walkers are surroundin' the place."

"You wanna know the day?" Merle asked, ingoring me, and the two men were squared up.

"Yea." T-Dog frowned.

"I'll tell ya the day, Mr. Yo, the day I take orders from a nigger." When those words left Merle's mouth, T-dog attacked. Before he could even get a hit in, Merle smashed the butt of his gun into T-Dog's face.

"STOP! STOP!" I yelled at Merle, grabbing his arm. He slung me backwards, but I didn't fall. I went to get at him again, but before I knew it, he had punched the sheriff, knocking him to the ground. Everyone was yelling at him as he begin to beat on T-Dog again. Morales tried to intervine, but he was elbowed in the gut. I stepped forward once again.

"God dammit, Merle!" I yelled, rearing my leg back. I kicked him in the thigh as hard as I could. He spun quickly, jumping to his feet.

"You jus' kick me, bitch?" Merle growled at me.

"If it'll keep ya off him for a minute, then yea, looks to me like I kicked ya." I spat. He lunged forward and shoved me on my ass. I fell hard onto the roof, stunned. But I jumped up quickly, ready for a fight. Someone grabbed my arm, pulling me away. I turned to see Glenn, who was wide-eyed and keeping a firm grip on my arm.

I looked back over to see Merle straddling T-Dog. He drew his gun and stuck it in his face. I tried to lunge forward, but I realized Andrea had grabbed my shirt, and she was pleading with Merle to stop, not to hurt T-Dog. I tried to slip out of their grip, but I couldn't.

Merle spat on T-Dog, rubbing it into his shirt. He finally let T-Dog up, and began ranting on about how he was now the one in charge. He began asking people for votes, a show of hands on who thought he should be the leader. I started laughing obnoxiously when everyone began raising their hands to Merle's request, ignoring the looks that Glenn gave me.

"What's funny?" Merle gave me a disgustingly wicked grin.

"You." I spat.

"Any body else? Anybody?" Merle challenged, looking straight at me. I grinned when I saw the sheriff.

"Yea." The stranger said, clocking Merle a good one to the face. He grabbed Merle's hand and handcuffed him to the pipe.

"Who the hell are you, man?" Merle growled out the question.

"Officer Friendly." The sheriff gowled back in reply. He began going off on Merle. The group all just stood off to the side except me. I walked over to Officer Friendly, offering my hand out to him. He took it, only after flicking Merle on the nose. I laughed, pulling him up. The sheriff walked over to the side of the building, tossing Merle's drugs off of the roof. That sent Merle into an uproar, but the sheriff just walked away. Morales followed him.

"What'er we gonna do now?" I huffed, sending a glare towards Merle. He just glared back, ignoring me.

"God, it's like Times Square down there." Andrea said, as she and Jacqui looked over the side of the roof.

"How's that signal?" Morales asked, as he and the sheriff came walking back over.

"Like Dixon's brain. Weak." T-Dog replied, sitting against the concrete. Merle flipped him a bird, but remained quiet.

"Keep trying." Morales encouraged.

"Why?" Andrea asked. "There's nothing they can do. Not a damn thing."

"Andrea.." I tried, but she walked away.

"Got some people outside the city, is all. There's no refugee center. That's a pipe dream." Morales explained.

"He's right." I mumbled, looking at the sheriff, who gave me a knowing look. I ignored the conversation, until I heard Merle trying to sweet talk Andrea into letting him go. When he called her a "rug muncher", I whipped my head over at him and gave him a dirty look.

"Glenn, check the alley, you see any manhole covers?" Morales interrupted my glaring. I looked at Glenn, and the two of us ran over to the other side of the building. We both looked down at the street, seeing a couple of walkers, but no manhole covers. I squinted, and tried to crane my neck as far a I could. Nothing.

"Shit.." I mumbled, looking at Glenn.

"We're screwed, Spencer." He gave me a half worried, half humored smile.

"Yea, we are." I agreed, and we jogged back up the stairs and over to the group.

"No! Must be all out on the street where the geeks are." Glenn explained, and I watched as the faces of the group sank. I sighed. Jacqui began explaining about how the building we were in was old, very old, and there might be a way out.

"Couldn't hurt to give it a try." I shrugged. Morales, Andrea, the sheriif, Glenn, and I all followed Jacqui down to a dark area of the building. Sure enough, we walked up on an area that led down into the sewers. Possibly, but one of us was going to have to check it out.

"This is it? You sure?" Morales asked, looking at Jacqui, then at Glenn.

"I really scoped this place out the other times I was here. This is the only thing in the building that goes down...but I've never gone down it." I looked over at Glenn, seeing the scrunched look on his face. I mentally groaned, knowing the only person who _could_ go down it was Glenn. He continued talking. "Who'd want to, right?" Everyone looked at him, and his face fell. "Oh.. Great."

"We'll be right behind you." Andrea offered.

"Yea, she's right, we-" I started, but Glenn cut me off.

"No, you won't. Not you." Glenn looked at Andrea.

"Why not me? Think I can't?" Andrea asked, but her voice wasn't threatening.

"I wasn't..." Glenn trailed off.

"Speak your mind." The sheriff said, giving Glenn a understanding look.

"He's right, Glenn. Tell us what ya wanna do." I urged. I felt sick to my stomach, and I had this weird feeling in my chest. _No, not here. Please not now._ I begged my brain to calm itself.

"Look," Glenn started, "until now, I always came here by myself. In and out, grab a few things, no problem. First time I bring a group, everything goes to hell. No offense."

"But we all been on supply runs before, at one time or 'nother." I said, looking at him questioningly.

"I know, Spencer. But, you guys didn't come this far into the city. I only led you all to the outskirts. If I'm gonna go down this hole, fine, but only if we do it my way." Glenn instructed. "It's tight down there. If I run into somethin' and I have to get out quick, I don't want you all jammed up behind me, get me killed! I'll take one person, not you either!" Glenn pointed at the sheriff when he stepped forward. "You've got Merle's gun and I've seen you shoot. I'd feel better if you were out in that store, watching those doors, covering our ass. You got a gun, so you should go with him." Glenn looked at Andrea, who nodded.

"You be my wing man." Glenn looked at Morales, who agreed. "Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us, get us back up here in a hurry. Spencer, you gotta gun also, so go back up to the roof with T-Dog and keep an eye on things up there."

"Got it." I flashed him a grin and a thumbs up. I caught the hint of a smile, before I walked away from them and headed back up to the roof. I couldn't watch Glenn and Morales disappear into the darkness. It just wasn't a good thing for me to see right now.

"Get a hold on ya self, girl." I mumbled to myself, as I walked up the stairs. Once to the top, I pushed the door open, and I could hear T-Dog speaking into the radio.

"Anybody out there?" He asked "Hello?" When he saw me, he grimaced at the radio and I nodded.

"Piece of shit, ain't it?" I asked, walking over to the edge of the roof, looking down at the street below. Walkers were everywhere.

"Yes!" T-Dog exclaimed, before trying the radio again. "Anybody read? I'm hopin' to hear somebody's voice, 'cause I'm gettin' sick an' tired of hearin' mine."

"Yea, well that makes two of us." Merle said, but his voice wasn't hateful.

"Shuttup, Merle." I said quietly.

"Why don't ya knock that crap off, givin' me a headache, boy." Merle said calmly.

"Why don't you pull your head out ya ass? Maybe your headache will go away." T-Dog shot back at him. Merle started laughing. "Try some positivity for a change." T-Dog murmured. Merle began trying to sweet talk T-Dog into letting him go. T-Dog wasn't having any of it.

"Merle, why don't ya jus' shut up?" I asked, looking at him. He whipped his head up and glared at me, before calming himself.

"Nah, look sugar baby. I didn't mean to push ya down, ya know? I was jus' in the heat of the moment, and ya kicked me pretty damn hard." Merle was trying to sweet talk me now. Unbelievable.

"Yea, well. Ya deserved it." I shot, giving him a go to hell look.

"Maybe I did, but ya ain't gotta keep me locked up like a dog." Merle tried to reason with me. I snorted.

"Ya are one." I growled at him, but before he could snap back something at me, the others came bursting through the roof door.

"Walkers broke the first set of glass doors downstairs." Glenn said, looking at me, ignoring Merle.

"What the fuck?" I asked, looking at him, then Morales. "Lemme guess, y'all didn't find shit down in that hole?"

"Not a damn thing." Morales said quietly, and I knew this was bad. Just plain bad. The sheriff, and the others walked over to the edge of the roof, using binoculars to look around in hopes of finding something useful. I heard thunder crack through the sky. Great. Just what we needed.

"That construction site, those trucks, they always keep keys on hand." The sheriff said, handing Morales the binoculars.

"How d'ya suppose you get to 'em?" I asked flatly, knowing there was no possible way. Walkers crowded the street below.

"They'll never make it past the walkers." Morales agreed.

"You got me outta that tank." The sheriff said, looking at Glenn.

"Yea, but they were feeding." Glenn said.

"They were distracted." I spoke up, looking at the sheriff. "Unless you can..." I trailed off trying to think. The officer caught on.

"Can we distract them again?" He asked Glenn. The whole group began having a discussion about the things that attracked walkers. When they began talking about scent, my brain began ticking. The sheriff and I looked at each other, and when our eyes met, I knew he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Way too dangerous, Officer Friendly." I sighed, but he wasn't having it.

"It will work." The sheriff said quietly. "It will. Glenn and I will cover ourselves with walker blood, and then we'll make it to the trucks, come back and pick up all of you."

The next thing I knew, we were downstairs gathering supplies, Glenn and Morales hounding Officer Friendly about his plan. I had to admit, I was worried. But even though everyone was having a major freak out about this idea, no one was putting a stop to it. Everyone wanted out of here.

Morales and the sheriff ran out onto the alley area and grabbed one of the walkers that had been killed earlier. Once inside, Glenn and the sheriff put on protective gear, and the sheriff raised an axe, about to chop into the walker. But instead, he stopped at the last second, letting the axe drop, and took off his face mask. He bent down to the dead walker, and searched the pockets, pulling out a wallet. Unfolding it, he took a look at the i.d.

"Wayne Dunlap. Georgia license. Born nineteen-seventy-nine." He handed Glenn the license. "He had twenty-eight dollars in his pocket when he died. And a picture of a pretty girl. 'With love, from Rachel'. He used to be like us. Worryin' bout bills or the rent or the superbowl. If I ever find my family, I'm gonna tell 'em 'bout Wayne." And with that, he put the face mask back on, and grabbed the axe.

"One more thing." Glenn interrupted, and we all looked at him. "He was an organ donor." The sheriff began hacking away at the body. I covered my mouth, and looked away. The sheriff gave Morales the axe and mask.

"Keep chopping." He instructed, and Morales took over. Everyone had on gloves and suits. Except me. They couldn't find another suit, and the sheriff had told me not to risk it, even though I wanted to help. He instructed everyone to be careful not to get any of the dead walker on their skin or in their eyes. I stood back and watched as everyone began digging into the dead walker, smearing its insides on Glenn and the sheriff. Glenn puked.

"Glenn," Andrea stepped forward, handing him her gun, "just in case." She moved his bloody overcoat out of the way, and tucked the gun in the waistband of his pants. The sheriff told us all to be ready if they made it back, and when T-Dog asked about Merle, Rick handed him the key to the handcuffs. After Glenn and the sheriff got their weapons, and more fully covered in walker guts, the two left the building, heading out into the street.

"We gotta watch their backs!" I exclaimed, and I felt that sick feeling again. We all ran up to the roof, and looking down, we could see them. They were surrounded by walkers, and when the thunder began cracking, I looked over at Andrea, the two of us sharing horrified looks.

_Please don't let it rain. Please don't let it rain._ I begged. T-Dog, who was trying to pick up our group's signal, suddenly had a voice come through.

"Shane! Is that you?" T-Dog asked.

"It was Dale!" I almost yelled, happy to hear a voice from the camp. T-Dog began to explain that we were stuck at the department store. And then, once again, service was lost.

"GOD DAMMIT!" I yelled, and I grabbed for the radio, but T-Dog snatched his hand away.

"Spencer, no!" He stopped me. "I know you're pissed, so am I, but we can't do anything rash or stupid." I nodded, backing off.

"Hate feelin' so damn helpless." I shook my head.

"Trust me, I know." T-Dog looked at me with tired eyes. I looked around, and noticed cloudy skies, when thunder cracked again. Glenn and the sheriff had to hurry. Morales and Andrea were looking with the binoculars, when suddenly, it began to rain.

"Oh, man." Morales said, looking back into the binoculars.

"Whatta we do?" I began to panic.

"Nothing we can do from up here." Morales said sadly.

"We gotta do somethin'!" I growled, leaning over the edge of the roof, squinting to see the two on the street. The rain began to really come down.

"It's just a cloudburst! We get 'em all the time, it'll pass real quick." Morales tried to sound convincing, but I shook my head.

"Oh, God." I whispered, as I took the binoculars, and saw the two. Walkers started noticing them, and we all watched in horror as they fought their way through the streets. They jumped a fence, and I could hear gunshots as someone began shooting, probably the sheriff. The walkers trampled down the fence, but I could see a truck speeding away.

"They made it!" I yelped, wanting to jump for joy.

"They're leaving us!" Andrea said, panicking.

"No, no." Morales was trying to convince her they weren't.

"No, no, no, come back!" Andrea was freaking out.

"Andrea! Ain't no time to flip ya shit! They ain't leavin' us. Glenn wouldn't do that." I snapped, trying to get her to calm down. Suddenly, Glenn's voice came on the radio.

"Those roll up doors in the front of the door, facing the street, meet us there and be ready!" His voice was gone as quickly as it was there.

"Told ya!" I grinned, "Now let's get the fuck outta here!"

"Come on, let's go! Let's go!" Morales yelled, and I grabbed up my bag quickly.

"Hey, you can't leave me here!" Merle yelled, and I stopped in my tracks. Merle was begging us not to leave him, and I looked at T-Dog.

"We can't! He's an ass, but we can't!" I yelled to T-Dog, and he nodded. He came running back toward Merle and I, but he tripped. I saw T-Dog falling, and they key slipped out of his hand. We all tried to lunge for it, but it slipped down the drain.

"Fuck!" I growled, but I knew there was nothing we could do.

"Son-of-a-bitch! You did that on purpose!" Merle yelled at T-Dog.

"I didn't mean to!" T-Dog protested. Merle was begging us not to leave him. Through his screams, I yelled at him.

"Merle, we'll come back for you! I swear!" And then I turned and sprinted toward the door. Once inside, I saw T-Dog grab a padlock. "Hurry! we gotta go! Lock it up good!" I yelled, as he padlocked the chain on the door. As soons as he clicked the lock, I took off like a bullet down the stairs, him hot on my trail. We ran quickly, Merle's screams haunting us all the way down. We ran down to the store front, and just as we got in front of the glass doors, the walkers burst through.

"GO SPENCER!" T-Dog screamed, and I put on a burst of speed. I could hear glass cracking, and T-Dog's footsteps right on my heels as I ran. "Hey wait for us!" He yelled as we ran closer to the roll up doors.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Morales screamed at us as we rounded the corner. We pulled the chains quickly, and all I could hear was screaming in my ears. I kept focusing on the chains until the doors were up, and I could see the sheriff. We threw our bags in, then jumped into the big moving truck. Just as Morales was shutting the truck's back door, I could see the walkers coming. the sheriff gunned it, and Morales got the back door down. I sighed, my heart pounding.

Morales stood up, and walked to the front of the moving truck. He sat in the passenger side beside the sheriff. I scooted my way to the front, until I was in the middle of the two men. I looked over at T-Dog's face, and I knew he was going through hell in his head.

"I dropped the damned key." He spoke up.

"It wasn't ya fault!" I spat at him. Everyone was silent.

"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked, and I whipped my head up at Officer Friendly.

"Yea, where's he at?" I asked.

"He's okay." Officer Friendly reassured.

"Best not to dwell on it, Merle gettin' left behind. Nobody's gonna be sad he didn't come back..." Morales said quietly.

"'Cept maybe Daryl." I spat, giving Morales a dirty look.

"I was gonna say that." Morales glared at me slightly.

"Daryl?" The officer asked.

"Yea, his brother." I replied, looking up at him. I could hear the loud, droning, chirping noise of a car alarm coming up. I sat up on my knees, to see Glenn in a red muscle car go flying around us, hand waving out of the window. I actually laughed.

"Least somebody's having a good time." Morales said, a slight smile on his face.

"What's your name, anyway?" I asked, looking at the officer.

"Rick. Rick Grimes." He said, glancing down at me.

"Spencer, if ya didn't know." I offered a smile, and he smiled back. Everything got quiet, and I sat there in silence as my mind began to wander. There was going to be hell to pay when we got back to camp. When Daryl found out we had left his brother back in the city... He was going to be pissed. Beyond pissed. Hell, I was even a little bit afraid of what his reaction might be. But I didn't hold any blame, not on anyone but Merle. If he wouldn't have been such an ass, he wouldn't have been handcuffed in the first place...

Still, all I could picture in my mind was Daryl's face. The way he followed Merle around like a little puppy. The way his eyes lit up when he came back to the camp from a hunt, eager to show his big brother what he caught for dinner. The way the two dogged each other, then laughed about it. Yea, telling Daryl that we had left his brother, meant there would be hell to pay.

* * *

**Hey guys, soooo sorry for the long wait ! I've been swamped with school among other things. I know this chapter is so long, but like I said, my chapters in this story are gonna be long ! I hope yall enjoy, and hopefully I'll have another chapter up today ! My next of course will be full of fun ! haha I am so excited to do the chapter with Daryl and the others going back for Merle. Thanks to everyone reviewing, favoriting, and following ! And READING ! Reviews are WELCOMED and APPRECIATED SOOOO MUCH ! Yall are awesome.**

**~Kaila G**


	7. Chapter 7

I could see the dirt path as we got closer to the camp. I could just see Shane's face as Glenn pulled up with that car alarm going off. He was going to shit a brick. I had a feeling that we would all catch hell for that one, at least until we explained the reasoning behind it. I was excited suddenly, when Cheyenne and Shay popped into my head. I could see Glenn had parked the car and the others surrounding him as Rick parked the moving truck. As soon as the doors opened, I jumped out, Andrea right behind me.

"Amy!" Andrea ran forward. I grinned as the two sister ran to each other.

"SPENCERRRR!" Cheyenne came running towards me, and I grabbed her up in my arms. Shay ran over, grabbing me with an intensity that I had never felt from her before.

"Oh my God! I didn't think you were gonna make it back!" Shay cried. I held onto the two of them, my own eyes getting a bit watery. Everyone was looking at us, and at the two sisters. I could see a sadness on Carl's face when Morales joined his family. Lori had an arm over Carl's shoulder, and led him a few steps away. She kneeled down, talking to him, as he cried. My heart was breaking at the sight.

"How'd y'all get outta there, anyway?" I heard Shane ask.

"New guy! He got us out." Glenn said.

"Yea, the crazy bastard saved us all." I tried to grin through my sadness for Carl.

"New guy?" Shane asked. Morales said something,

"Hey helicopter boy! Come say hello!" Morales said, smiling. "Guys a cop, like you." And as he said that, Rick came around the front of the moving truck. I saw Shane's face change dramatically, and I looked at Rick, who was looking the same way. My first instinct was to look at Carl and Lori, who both turned their heads to see the new guy.

"Oh my God." Rick breathed, pointing at the two. He began walking quickly, and I saw Carl's face light up as he began running.

"DAD! DAD!" He screamed, and I put a hand to my mouth. as the father and son collided, Rick falling to the ground with Carl. I couldn't keep the tears from welling up in my eyes, and one fell down my cheek. Rick stood, kissing Carl on the side of his face as he held his son close, and walked towards Lori. She looked stunned. She grabbed him, and held on. Rick and Shane shared a look. I couldn't believe it. I was very happy for Rick, he truly deserved finding his family. And to think they'd been here all along...

* * *

We were all sitting around the campfire talking. Rick was explaining his story about when he woke up in the hospital. Thunder rolled, and I just sat, stroking Cheyenne's hair. She was near sleep, her blue eyes fluttering closed at my touch. I heard a cracking noise, and Cheyenne jumped, clutching onto my arm. I looked over to see Ed building his fire higher. I rolled my eyes. Rick caught it, and gave me a questioning look. I just shook my head.

"Hey, Ed. Wanna rethink that log?" Shane asked, looking over at the bastard.

"It's cold, man." Ed replied, not looking over at us.

"Cold don't change the rules, does it?" Shane asked calmly. "We keep our fires low, jus' embers, so we can't be seen from a distance, right?"

"I said it's cold. Why don't ya mind ya own business for once?" Ed asked, and Shane stood up. T-Dog motioned to stop him, but then just put his hand to his own face.

"Ed, sure you wanna have this conversation right now?" Shane asked quietly.

"Go on," Ed instructed to Carol, "pour the damn thing out. Go on!" He raised his voice at her, and she stood, walking over to the fire and putting it out.

"Hey Carol," I could hear Shane speaking quietly, "Sophia, how'er y'all this evenin'?"

"Fine. We're just fine." Carol said shortly.

"Hey," Shane tried.

"Sorry about the fire-" Carol started.

"No, no, no. No apology needed. Y'all have a good night, okay?" Shane got up, and walked back over to us, but not before walking by Ed and saying, "Appreciate the cooperation." As soon as Shane sat down, Dale spoke up.

"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?" Dale asked.

"Been on my mind ever since we left that department store." I admitted, looking at Dale.

"He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind." Dale continued, giving me a sympathetic nod.

"I'll tell 'em." Shane said.

"I dropped the key, it's on me." T-Dog stepped in.

"I was with you..." I trailed off, shaking my head.

"I cuffed him, that makes him mine." Rick stepped up, looking at me.

"Guys, it's not a competition." Glenn spoke up, looking around at T-Dog. "I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy."

"He's right." I said looking at Glenn, then to T-Dog. "Ya know how the Dixons are."

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm gonna hide from it." T-Dog said quietly.

"We could lie." Amy offered, and I almost grinned.

"Or tell the truth. Merle was outta control. Something had to be done or he would have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary. And if Merle got left behind, it is nobody's fault, but Merle's."

"And that's what we tell Daryl? I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that. Do you? Word to the wise... We're gonna have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt." Dale explained.

"That's an understatement." I snorted.

"I was scared, and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it." T-Dog looked away.

"We tried, though, T." I offered a sincere look.

"We were all scared, we all ran." Andrea was trying to help. "What's your point?"

"I stopped long enough to chain that door." T-Dog explained.

"Yea, he did, and the staircase is narrow." I looked at Rick.

"Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at one time. Not enough to break through it. Not that chain, not that padlock. My point, Dixon's alive. And he's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us." T-Dog got up, and walked away. I started to go after him, but I stopped when I caught Glenn's eye. Maybe he just needed to be alone. We said our goodnights, and when I tried to stand up with Cheyenne, I faultered slightly.

"Need some help?" Rick asked quietly. "You took quite a fall for us on that roof."

"Fall?" Lori asked, looking at me.

"So ya saw that?" I grinned at Rick, and turned to Lori. "Kicked Dixon, so he pushed me flat on my ass."

"She only did it to keep Merle from beating T-Dog to a pulp." Rick said, picking up Cheyenne.

"Well, are you okay?" Lori asked, looking at my face.

"Fine," I smiled, "my ass is sore." Lori laughed quietly, and gave me a smile.

"Maybe it'll feel better in the morning." She put a hand on my arm. "Don't beat yourself up about Merle."

"Not, jus' beatin' myself up 'bout how Daryl's gonna take it." I nearly whispered the words. "Ain't his fault." Lori nodded, and told me goodnight. She walked off toward her tent, and I walked with Rick toward mine.

"Thanks again, for pickin' her up." I smiled softly at Cheyenne, who was asleep.

"You never mentioned you had a young daughter. She's beautiful." Rick smiled over at me, as we reached my tent.

"Oh, she ain't my daughter. My lil' cousin." I corrected.

"She's yours now... " He trailed off as he set Cheyenne in the tent beside Shay. "Get you some sleep, Spencer." I felt Rick's hand on my shoulder and I nodded my head. I climbed into the tent, and settled in beside Cheyenne and Shay.

"Spence?" Shay whispered.

"Yea?" I whispered back.

"Don't ever do that again." I chuckled and pulled the blanket up to my chin. Before I knew it, I was sound asleep.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to the sounds of the camp bustling around. I dragged myself up, and looked over to see Shay asleep, but Cheyenne was gone. I could hear faint laughter, and knew the kids were outside playing. I smiled and stretched my arms over my head. Climbing out of my tent, I realized my ass was still extremely sore. Grimacing, I made my way over to Rick and Glenn, who were watching the guys strip Glenn's muscle car. Glenn was complaining, and had a sad look on his face. I laughed.

"Thought I'd get to drive it at least a few more days." Glenn grumbled, and I giggled.

"Maybe we'll get to steal another one someday." Rick offered, patting Glenn on the back, before walking off.

"If that's the case, I'm drivin'!" Then it hit me. My truck! Dammit, we had left it back at the city. "My truck..." I grumbled, upset.

"Ha! Looks like we both lost." Glenn sneered playfully. I smacked his arm.

"Asshole," I grumbled, before walking away towards the RV. I walked over to Dale, and gave him a worried look.

"What's wrong, Spencer?" Dale asked, and I glanced over as Shane came tearing up the road in his jeep. He must have went on a water run.

"Been thinkin' 'bout Merle... Well, scratch that. Been thinin' more 'bout Daryl. If Rick decides to go back to the city, I wanna go. I feel jus' as responsible." I looked down at my cowboy boots, before looking back up at Dale.

"That's understandable. But you do have a little one to think about." Dale said, looking over at Cheyenne. I nodded.

"Understand that. But so does Rick. 'Jus feel obligated, ya know? An' if I gotta go, I need ya to keep Shay occupied so she don't lose her mind worryin'. Think ya can put'er on watch duty or somthin'?" I asked, my eyes pleading with Dale.

"Of course I will, Spencer. You're a very respectable young lady with good morals. I'm happy to see you haven't lost your humanity." Dale smiled, and I smiled back.

"Glad to hear that." I laughed lightly, and started to walk away. I turned back toward Dale. "Thanks." He nodded, and I turned back toward Cheyenne. Walking over, I grabbed her from behind, pulling her into a hug.

"Good mornin'!" Cheyenne grinned up at me.

"Hello, darlin'. Ya eat breakfast yet?" I asked, letting her go.

"Lori made us bweakfast." Cheyenne said, and I smiled at the way she talked.

"That's Mrs. Lori, to ya lil' bit!" I grinned, as she covered her mouth.

"Oops." She giggled and I pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

"Ya go on and play now. Stay close." I warned, and Cheyenne nodded. She ran off to catch up with Carl and Sophia. I turned to see Lori and Rick talking. They seemed to be having a serious discussion, when suddenly I heard a blood curdling scream, followed by Carl yelling, "MOM!"

"Carl?" Lori yelled, and we all ran forward.

"CHY?" I called, and I caught up to Rick quickly. We ran through the woods to the clearing where we hung clothes to dry. Carl was holding Cheyenne's hand, and Sophia's, but they all let go and ran into us like a ton of bricks. I grabbed Cheyenne, and looked her over, but she wasn't hurt. Jacqui was right behind the kids, pointing behind her. Rick, Glenn, Shane, and Jim ran in that direction. Andrea and Amy walked over, only to stop in their tracks quickly.

"What's going on?" Dale asked at my side.

"I dunno, Chy, stay with Lori and Carl!" I ordered, as I ran over to the guys, Dale right behind me. A walker was standing, his mouth bloody from the deer that was lying dead on the ground. I could see arrows sticking out of the deer. _Great_, I thought, _jus' another thing to piss off Dixon_.

The walker came forward, snarling and snapping at everyone. The men began to attack it, smacking it with numerous weapons I glanced over to see Amy and Andrea watching, Amy looking quite disgusted. I had to agree, it was pretty gross. Finally Dale brought down his axe, cutting the thing's head off.

"This is the first one we've had up here." Dale mentioned, looking at the thing. "They never come this far up the mountain."

"Well they're runnin' out of food in the city, that's what." Jim said looking at Dale. A footstep in the underbrush of the woods made us all snap our heads up. I pulled my gun from my shorts instinctively, holding it low, but ready to aim if needed. Everyone had their weapons ready to strike as the footsteps got closer.

Then I saw it. The dark crossbow appeared first, then I saw Daryl come out from behind some brush. As he hopped down from a small incline, his face met ours. Daryl looked at us, almost unsure, his face asking what the hell were we all looking at. I relaxed, clicking the safety on my gun, and shoved it back into the waistband of my shorts.

"Ughh, Jesus." Shane murmured, turning away.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Daryl came tromping towards us. "That's my deer! Awl, look at it all gnawed on by this filthy," he kicked the dead walker, "disease barren," he kicked it again, "motherless, poxy bastard." Daryl finished with one last kick.

"Calm down, son. That's not helping." Dale tried to calm Daryl.

"What'dya know 'bout it ol' man?" Daryl walked over toward Dale, but Shane lifted his gun in between the two men as a barrier. Daryl made some remark about Dale and his hat, and I almost laughed, but stopped myself. _Not funny, Spencer_. I heard Daryl sigh.

"Been trackin' this deer for miles." He said as he pulled the arrows from its side. "Drag it back to camp, cook us up some venicen. What'dya think, think we can cut 'round this chewed up part right here?"

"Would not risk that." Shane said, and I looked at Daryl.

"That's a damn shame. Well I got some squirrel, 'bout a dozen or so. Have to do." Beside Daryl's foot, the walker's eyes popped open and it began snapping it's jaw.

"Oh, God!" Amy said, and she turned away, Andrea right behind her.

"Come on, people. What the hell?" Daryl growled, lifting his crossbow and aiming at the walker's head. He shot the walker, and the arrow when through its head. Putting his foot on the walker's head, he pulled out the arrow, and stepped back. "It's gotta be the brain. Don'tch y'all know nothin'?" He walked past us, and headed for camp. _Here we go_, I thought, and I felt nervous as we followed behind him.

"Merle!" I could hear Daryl calling out. "Merle! Getcha ugly ass out here. Got us some squirrel." I watched as he sat his crossbow down.

"Daryl," I heard Rick call, "hey, slow up a bit, I need to talk to you."

"Bout what?" Daryl asked, but his voice was calm.

"Bout Merle." Shane butted in. "There was a... There was a problem in Atlanta." Daryl looked around at all of us, and his eyes caught mine momentarily, then he looked back toward Shane.

"He dead?" Daryl asked, his voice still calm, as he walked. I looked up at him, watching his movements.

"Not sure." Shane admitted.

"He either is or he ain't!" Daryl growled, looking at Shane threateningly.

"No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it." Rick said, walking forward.

"Who'er you?" Daryl asked, looking at Rick.

"Rick Grimes." The sheriff answered.

"Rick Grimes?" Daryl growled, sneering. "Got somethin' ya wanna tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all." Rick confessed, keeping straight forward with Daryl. "So I handcuffed him to the roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there." I could see T-Dog walking up with an armful of wood, as Rick spoke. My eyes darted back to Daryl who mumbled, turning away from Rick. He wiped his face before speaking.

"Lemme process this." Daryl turned back toward Rick, and I could tell he was upset. Pissed, yes, but mostly upset. He continued, with a slightly shaky voice. "Sayin you handcuffed my brother to a roof? And you left him there?" Daryl was screaming at Rick.

"Yea." Rick replied, looking away. Before I knew what was happening, Daryl threw his rack of squirrels at Rick, who ducked out of the way. Daryl lunged for Rick, but Shane pulled a cheap shot, bulldozing him from the side, knocking Daryl to the ground.

"Hey!" T-Dog dropped the wood and ran over. I saw Daryl pull his hunting knife from his pants, and I lunged forward.

"Daryl, stop!" I tried to catch his attention, but he ignored me.

"Watch the knife!" Shane warned, and when Daryl was to his feet, he swung the knife angrily at Rick, who jumped back, and grabbed Daryl's hand. He got a hold of Daryl, but of course Shane had to butt in, once again. Shane grabbed Daryl, putting him in a choke hold. I jumped forward, but Dale grabbed my arm.

"It's okay, Spencer," Dale whispered, "Shane won't hurt him." I looked back at Daryl, who was struggling against Shane.

"Best let me go!" Daryl snarled, but Shane kept a firm grip on him as they struggled with one another.

"Nah, I think it's better if I don't." Shane said, as he lowered Daryl closer to the ground.

"Choke holdin's illegal!" Dixon growled, but Shane didn't give in.

"Yea, well you can file a complaint." Shane mumbled, and I rolled my eyes. Shane spoke again. "Come on now, we can keep this up all day." Daryl was making noises, trying to get his breath. I felt my blood boiling towards Shane, but I didn't know why.

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic," Rick said, kneeling in front of Daryl. "You think we can manage that? You think we can _manage that_?" Rick looked up at Shane, who gave a nod, then released Daryl.

"What I did was not on a whim!" Rick was trying to explain to Daryl, who was sitting on his ass glaring at the two. "Your brother does not work and play well with others."

"It's not Rick's fault." T-Dog spoke up, and Daryl's eyes darted over to him. "I had the key.. I dropped it."

"Couldn't pick it up?" Daryl asked, his voice hoarse.

"I dropped it down a drain." T-Dog said, and Daryl's head dropped. He finally got to his feet, throwing dirt as he walked by T-Dog.

"If that's s'posed to make me feel better, it don't." Daryl said.

"Tell him what we did, what _you _did." I said to T-dog, and Daryl stopped in his tracks.

"We?" Daryl sneered at me.

"Yea, I'm jus' as responsible." I admitted, not backing down.

"Maybe this will make you feel better. Look, I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him. With a padlock." T explained. Daryl looked as if he might cry. I looked away, and when Rick spoke, my eyes went straight back to Daryl.

"It's gotta count for somethin'." Rick tried. Daryl's face squinched up, and that's when I knew he _was_ crying. He wiped his eyes.

"The hell with all y'all!" He swung his arm. "Jus' tell me where he is, so I can go get 'em." Daryl have whimpered, half growled.

"He'll show you." Lori spoke up. Everyone looked at her. Lori only looked at Rick. "Isn't that right?"

"I'm goin' back." Rick shook his head. Daryl just stomped past us, looking mad as hell. No one said anything, we all just veered off our own ways, and I walked to my tent. I heard someone behind me, and I nearly tripped when they grabbed my arm, hard.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?" Shay yelled at me. I was so taken back, that at first I couldn't speak.

"Lemme go!" I jerked away from her, tilting my head with a glare. "I am goin' into the city, Shay. Ya know why, so don't try an' talk me outta it. I gotta go."

"For what? Because you and T couldn't save _Merle_?" She scoffed. "You don't owe that damn boy anything! You owe Cheyenne, you owe me, God dammit!" I was shocked by her reaction to all of this.

"I'm goin', Shay." I said firmly.

"Go figure. Going to save the piece of shit that pushed you flat on your ass. Who cares about Merle?" Shay was in my face.

"I care 'bout what's right!" I yelled back at her, and she took a step back. Without another word, I stepped into my tent, and pulled myself together. Making sure my gun was secure in the waistband of my shorts, I walked past Shay, and headed straight for Cheyenne. Her blonde hair was sticking out slightly, and she looked up at me with sad blue eyes.

"Where you goin'?" Cheyenne mumbled, poking out her lip.

"Hey, now." I knelt down in front of her. "Don't be sad. I'll be back before ya know it. Jus' gotta run to the city and pick up Daryl's brother."

"Will you go fast?" Chy asked, hugging my neck. I squeezed her back.

"Like the wind." I whispered in her ear, kissing the side of her head. I stood, and walked away from her, my eyes tearing up slightly. I couldn't stand to see the look on her face. I regained my composure, and noticed Shane speaking with Rick. It was evident what about. Shane didn't want him to leave. I shook my head and walked over to the moving truck. I could overhear Daryl and Shane exchange some words.

I stood by the side of the truck, but I didn't get in. I just stood, listening to the conversation being held with the group. Shane didn't want Rick to go. T-Dog just told everyone he was going. Rick asked Glenn to go. Now Lori was backing out of her words from earlier, and she didn't want Rick to go. I slipped into the truck quietly, I couldn't take much more of their bickering.

I heard someone lift the back doors. I turned my head to see Daryl. Our eyes met, and he just glared at me. I didn't say anything, just looked away and out of the window. He began walking towards me, I could hear his footsteps coming closer. Once he got to me, he stopped. I looked up at him, his eyes locking into mine.

"Why ya goin'?" Daryl asked in a huff.

"Responsible." I muttered, not looking away.

"Heard ya yellin' at ya friend, what's she talkin' bout, Merle pushed ya down?" Daryl asked, his eyes still angry.

"I.. He was beatin' T-Dog to a bloody pulp, and no one could stop 'em. So I jumped in, and kicked 'em in the leg. Of course only after callin' me a bitch, did he push me." I explained, and Daryl narrowed his eyes.

"Then why you comin' along?" Daryl stared at me.

"I said I feel responsible!" I growled, and Daryl smirked.

"Whatever." He huffed at me, then walked away. Before I knew it, Glenn was beside me, and he cranked up the truck. Backing it up, we were silent. I could feel Daryl's presence in the truck, but no one said anything. Suddenly, Daryl swung in between Glenn and I, kicking the horn several times.

"Come on! Let's go!" He growled, and I glared at him, before getting up from my seat. I pushed past him, and sat down on the floor of the moving truck. T-Dog stepped into the back, and after Rick was finished talking to Shane, he climbed into the truck's passenger seat. Daryl pulled down the trucks back door, and we were on our way.

* * *

**Hope yall enjoy this chapter ! Mostly filler, but things are gonna get better soon ! Well if by better, meaning worse, then yes, better ! hehe The reviews are AMAZING and I will be doing a shoutout sometime soon. Thanks again for all the great readers and REVIEWERS ! (:**

**~Kaila G.**


	8. Chapter 8

As we rode along, I could feel the ride becoming slightly bumpy. I glanced over at Daryl, who was eyeing T-Dog. I began to wonder if Merle was really still alive. Yea, T-Dog locked that door up tight. But would the chain and padlock hold securely against the walkers? I remember the hallway was narrow, but still. My mind was wandering through my thoughts and I was thinking the worst. _Stay positive_, I scolded myself.

"Better be okay." Daryl said to T-Dog. "That's my only word on the matter."

"I told you. The geeks can't get at him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door, is us." T-Dog replied.

"Damn straight." I nodded, which caused Daryl to glance at me. I was trying to be strong, be brave. Be ready, for whatever was to come. Before I knew it, Glenn turned off the truck.

"We walk from here." Glenn instructed. Daryl stood quickly, opening the back sliding door and jumping out. I followed behind him and we walked around the truck following Glenn. Turning to look at T-Dog, I gave him a hopeful shrug, and he nodded his head.

We ran on, getting closer to the city. Once we reached a huge concrete structure, Glenn pushed two split sides of a fence apart, and everyone went through it. Even though small, I had to squirm slightly to get through. As soon as I was through the fence, Rick turned around.

"Merle first, or guns?" Rick asked.

"Merle! We ain't even havin' this conversation!" Daryl shot.

"We are!" Rick shot back. He looked at Glenn. "You know the geography, it's your call."

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first." Glenn replied as we ran on. I could finally see the area where we had left Merle. Glenn got us in quickly and quietly, but I remembered that the department store area had been busted into by walkers. Great.

Stepping lightly, I was being silent as possible. Which for me, was pretty great considering I was probably the most clumsy human being on the planet. Quick on my feet, but clumsy. At least I felt that way. Maybe the quick on my feet would make up for it. I hadn't tripped up yet. I kept my steps soft as we walked, and I saw Rick put his hand up. I already knew what it was by the breathing, hissing sound. Walker. Rick motioned that he could see it, and Daryl leaned down slightly, swiftly moving over toward the walker.

"Shit," I mumbled at the thing.

"Damn, you are one ugly skank." Daryl mumbled, before shooting the thing with his crossbow. We walked behind Daryl as he grabbed up his crossbow, and continued on. Running up the stairs to the roof, my heart began to pound. We reached the top, and I could see the door was cracked slightly but the chains were still intact. Rick looked at T-Dog, who used the bolt cutters to cut through the chain. Once T-Dog pulled the chain out, Daryl kicked the door open.

"Merle!" Daryl called as we ran through the door. "Merle!" I followed behind T-Dog and Rick, but they stopped abruptly. I looked down about the time I heard Daryl scream. "Nooooo! No! No!"

I could see why he was so upset. There was Merle's hand, just his hand, lying on the rooftop. The rest of him was gone. A saw was lying close by, covered in blood. The stupid bastard had sawed his own hand off. I looked up at Daryl who was freaking out, crying. I put a hand to my forehead and just stood there. What could I say?

"No! No!" Daryl was still screaming. The next thing I knew, Daryl let out a growl and turned on T-Dog, crossbow aimed at his face. Rick pulled out his gun, and held it aimed at Daryl's head.

"I won't hesitate, I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." I saw Daryl crying, and decided that was enough. I couldn't take it, for some odd reason, I couldn't take seeing him cry. I pulled out my own gun, clicked the safety off, and pointed it directly at Rick.

"Neither will I." I growled, and everyone looked at me. "Now all of ya, STOP IT!" I yelled the last part. Daryl's eyes drifted away from mine, and he let his crossbow drop. Rick let his hand shy away from Daryl's head, and I finally clicked the safety back on, and shoved my own gun back into the waistband of my shorts.

"You gotta doo rag or somethin'?" Daryl asked T-Dog, who reached into his pocket and handed it to Daryl. He walked over to the hand, and sighed, kneeling down to pick it up.

"I guess the saw blade was, uh, too dull for the handcuff... Ain't that a bitch?" Daryl looked at the hand before setting it down and wrapping it up. I glanced at Rick and he caught my eye.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "but things was gettin' outta control."

"It's okay, Spencer. You did the right thing." Rick nodded, touching my arm. I smiled lightly, happy to know he wasn't mad at me. Daryl walked over to Glenn, and put Merle's hand in the backpack. The look on Glenn's face... I almost laughed. But this wasn't funny.

"He must've used a tourniquet. Maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't." Daryl began following the blood trail, and the rest of us followed behind him. I was directly behind Daryl, nearly on his heels, with my gun drawn.

"Merle? You in here?" Daryl called out at we walked down the stairs. Daryl and I veered off away from the others, searching rooms. We came upon what looked like an office, and then I saw it. The walker was female, and the bottom half of her mouth and jaw was nothing but chewed up. I wondered why I wasn't puking.

Daryl put her down, and looked at me questioningly. I gave him a weak thumbs up, and he pushed past me to leave the room. I followed him out into the hallway, where we met up with the others. Walking along, I kept my eyes open, trying to catch sign of any movement. All I saw was nothing, until we walked into a room with two dead walkers.

"Had 'nough venom to take out these two sons-of-bitches." Daryl's voice was calm, but I could hear pride in it. "One handed... Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed 'em a hammer, he'll crap out nails."

"Any man can pass out from blood loss. No matter how tough he is." Rick said, walking on. I shook my head, trying to rid the negative thoughts from my brain.

"Merle!" Daryl called loudly.

"We're not alone here, remember?" Rick scolded, and I looked at Daryl.

"Screw that. He could be bleedin' out, ya said so ya self." Daryl replied calmly.

"Look, I wanna find Merle, too. For you. But I ain't gettin' my ass eaten in the process." I raised my eyebrows at him as we walked, following the blood droplets. Daryl looked at me funny, but I ignored it as we walked over to a stove looking thing. Fire? And something smelled awful. Then I saw the belt...and the skin.

"What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked.

"Skin..." Rick said, looking at the tool. "He cauterized the stump."

"Told ya he's tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle." Daryl said, but his face was unsure.

"Don't take that on faith, he's lost a lot of blood." Rick said, and I looked at him.

"Cauterizin' the wound had to've helped him out." I spoke up. "Used to be in school before all this, goin' to college in the medical program. Didn't get too far, but I learned enough to know he might've stopped the bleeding. Even so, he's prolly weak an' outta it."

"Yea? Didn't stop him from bustin' outta this death trap." Daryl was walking away. Of course, we followed. We came upon a broken window.

"He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn asked, his voice slightly panicked.

"Why wouldn't he? He's out there alone as far as he knows. Doin' what he's gotta do. Survivin'." Daryl answered.

"You call that survivin'? Jus' wandering through the streets maybe passing out? What's his odds out there?" T-Dog asked.

"Well, he couldn't stay here!" I looked around. "Would you?"

"No worse than bein' handcuffed an' left to rot by you sorry pricks." Daryl shot back at T-Dog. Then he walked up to Rick. "You couldn't kill 'em. Ain't so worried 'bout some dumb dead bastard."

"What about a thousand dumb dead bastards? Different story?" Rick and Daryl had that look on their faces.

"Why don't ya take a tally? Do what ya want. Imma go get 'em." Daryl started to push past Rick, but Rick put his hand up, pressing against his chest.

"Daryl, wait!" Rick pushed him back.

"Get ya hands off me!" Daryl yelled. "You can't stop me!"

"I don't blame you, he's family I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel... He can't get far with that injury, we could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head." Rick was trying his best to compromise with him. I watched the two, my eyes locking onto Daryl's. He glanced away from me and back at Rick.

"I can do that." Daryl agreed, and his voice was almost soft. I could tell he was upset about Merle. I felt a pang of guilt in my gut, but reminded myself it wasn't my fault.

"Only if we get those guns first," T-Dog interrupted my thoughts. "I'm not strollin' the streets of Atlanta with jus' my good intentions, okay?"

"I'm with him on that." I spoke up, looking at Rick. "My gun's in good condition, but Imma need 'nother weapon. An' more bullets for this one, 'ventually."

"Okay then. Let's get the gun bag." Rick nodded. We were all silent as we walked into an office area. I felt someone close on my heels, but I didn't have to look around to know it was Daryl. I felt a small smile creep across my lips. Maybe he was growing on me after all.

"It will be an easy grab." Glenn said and his tone meant business.

"You're not doin' this alone." Rick said, hands on his hips.

"Even I think it's a bad idea, an' I don't even like you much." Daryl spoke up, and I chuckled softly.

"It's a good idea!" Glenn protested, shooting me a glare. "Kay, if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast. Look, that's the tank, five blocks from where we are now." Glenn set down a pinning office tool on the floor where he was creating a map. He plopped a crinkled up piece a paper beside it. "That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That's where Daryl and I will go."

"Why me?" Daryl asked but his voice wasn't agitated. His tone screamed pure curiosity.

"Ya crossbow's quieter than his gun." I spoke up, looking at Daryl. He looked at me, then to Glenn, making a face.

"Exactly. While Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag." Glenn explained while mapping out the plan.

"Would you go to us elsewhere?" Rick asked.

"You, Spencer, and T-Dog, right? You'd be in this alley here."

"Two blocks away..why?" Rick asked.

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Daryl. I'll go forward instead. All the way around to that alley where you guys are. Which ever direction I go I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we'll all meet back here." Glenn explained.

"Hey, kid? What'dya do before all this?" Daryl asked.

"Delivered pizzas." Glenn and I both said at the same time. Everyone except Glenn looked at me strangely. "Why?" Glenn asked. Rick and Daryl just nodded.

"Let's get this over with." I mumbled, looking at Officer Friendly and T-Dog. I turned toward Glenn and Daryl. "Be careful, please."

"I will, Spencer." Glenn nodded. Daryl just gave me a grunt and a nod. Hey, it was a start. I walked quietly with Rick and T-Dog until we reached the spot Glenn told us to wait at.

"Pretty covered, huh?" I looked around the alley as we hid against the wall.

"Glenn definitely knows what he-" Rick was cut off by a yell. We all looked at each other strangely, it didn't sound like Glenn or Daryl. The scream came again, and I drew my gun, clicking the safety off, as we ran toward the screams. I heard a noise that sounded like... A car? What the hell was happening?

I ran around the corner behind Rick, to see Daryl yelling and shutting the gate so the walkers couldn't get into the alley. I looked around, seeing a kid standing in the alley, but no Glenn. Where the fuck was Glenn? Why wasn't he here, he was supposed to be here! Daryl turned from the fence, running toward the kid. He shoved the kid backward. Rick stopped him.

"WHOA, STOP IT!" Rick yelled, pushing Daryl back.

"IMMA KICK YOUR NUTS UP IN YA THROAT!" Daryl screamed at him. Daryl began talking about how they took Glenn, and my heart sank. Oh, God. Here we go again. "I'm gonna stomp your ass!" I heard Daryl yell. Rick grabbed up the bag of guns, and I noticed him hesitate for his sheriff hat. We ran.

As soon as we were all inside, they sat the kid down and the interrogation began. The kid wasn't talking, and when they began asking more questions, Daryl chimed in, mentioning Merle. When the kid made a comment about Merle, making fun of his name, Daryl lunged at him. Lucky for the kid, Rick grabbed him.

"You a fine bitch." The kid snorted at me, while Rick was holding onto Daryl.

"The fuck you jus' say?" Daryl spat at him. I jumped forward, taking advantage of Rick's hands being full. I jammed my gun in his face, clicking the safety off.

"Ya don't tell me where they took Glenn, Imma blow ya fuckin' jaw off. Got that? I WILL FUCKIN' BLOW YA HEAD OFF!" I screamed at him, pushing the barrel of my gun harder against his face. Before I knew it, there was an arm around my waist, pulling my back.

"Prick deserved it, but knock it off girl." Daryl narrowed his eyes at me. I nodded, and sat down in a huff, glaring at the kid.

"He's right, if you kill him, we won't find Glenn." T-Dog's voice was understanding. I nodded, regaining my composure. I watched as Daryl walked over to Glenn's bag, and began to dig into it. He picked up something.

"Wanna see what happened to the last guy who pissed me off?" Daryl asked unwrapping the doo rag. He chunked Merle's hand onto the kids lap, and when the kid jumped up, Daryl jumped on him. "Start with the feet this time!" Luckily, Rick stopped him again, and that convinced the kid. He agreed to take us there.

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**Hey guys, sooooo sorry for the long wait ! Tomorrow is my last day of class before spring break so I will try to update everyday, but no promises. I am so enjoying this story, it's amazing to write ! The reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED ! I will be doing a shout out soon ! You guys are awesome ! Hope yall enjoy this chapter !**

**~Kaila G.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Shout out time !**

_**FanFicGirl10:**_** You always seem to have nothing but great things to say in your reviews and I can tell you really like this story ! You are awesome and I always feel accomplished after reading one of your reviews ! Thank you so much !**

**_kyuubecky_: Oh wow, where do I begin ? Haha ! You always make me laugh when I read your reviews. You always seem so into the story, I mean you've been there since 'Tame My Heart' ! I always enjoy your reviews, they're so full of energy and excitement. You always make me feel like I am doing a great job as a writer, and that's something I appreciate dearly. Thank you a billion !**

_**Dalonega Noquisi:**_** You're always so positive, and I am very happy that you liked the chapter where I did the first ever supply run. I was nervous about how I was going to write it, but I wanted it to be simple and easy considering future town experiences weren't so great ! I love how you see the characters. I read your reviews and they make me feel like I am writing this the way it's meant to be written. Thank you !**

**_crazywritinggirl96: _I am happy to see you are enjoying the story ! Your reviews are enthusiastic and I am glad you made a suggestion ! To answer that suggestion, Daryl MIGHT grow to have a soft spot for Cheyenne, you'll just have to read and see ! Hehe ! But thank you for being such a great reviewer !**

_**NewMexicoeWine: **_**It's wonderful to see you are enjoying the story so far ! I am interested to see how Daryl and Spencer's relationship plays out, too ! I rarely ever prewrite any chapters, so usually they are off the top of my head. I just want this story to be different from others, I want Spencer and Daryl to be integrated slowly into the love stage ! Thank you so much for the review !**

_**BlackRose851:**_** Thank you so much for being interested in this story ! Your reviews are greatly appreciated, so thank you for being a continuing reviewer ! I am happy to see you are enjoying the story ! Thank you again !**

_**InkedCupcake92: **_**I am so happy that you are loving the story so far ! That means a lot to know you really like it. Hopefully you will keep loving it ! I am trying my best to keep it going good and keeping it interesting ! Thank you so very much for the review !**

**_gaara's-baby-gurl17_: Spencer is a country girl, and can be hot headed sometimes, with a short temper. So you will see her sticking up for herself very often ! I think that makes her a good character because she don't take no shit off nobody ! Haha I am happy that you were proud of her ! Thank you so much for the review !**

**Hope to see all of yours reviews for ch. 9 soon, and I will be doing more shoutouts throughout the story ! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME, THANK YOU !**

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I walked closely behind Daryl and Rick, who had the kid in front of them. We came upon a brick building, and I could see red graffiti on the wall. Rick let the kid sit down as we prepared ourselves to enter the gate. I looked at T-Dog, who gave me a worried glance. As I looked down at the kid, Rick caught my eye and raised his eyebrow. I shook my head, and leaned against the bricks.

"You sure you're up for this?" Rick asked T.

"Yea." He replied.

"Okay." Rick said, loading his gun. T-Dog grabbed up the bag of guns and walked past us.

"Good luck." He whispered to me. I scoffed.

"Thanks." I whispered back with a sly grin creeping onto my face.

"One wrong move, you get an arrow in ya ass. Jus' so you know." Daryl shot at the kid. I hid my smile quickly, and looked at the kid.

"G's gonna take that arrow outta my ass and shove it up yours. Just so _you _know." The kid said calmly. I wanted to smack him a good one across the face. A nice back hand might do him some good.

"G?" Rick asked.

"Guillermo. He the man here." The kid replied.

"Okay then," Rick said pumping his shot gun, "let's go see Guillermo." Rick led us through a broken window pane. I stayed directly behind Daryl, watching his back. He had his crossbow on the kid, keeping him from doing anything foolish. My gun drawn, I crouched stepping through the window pane behind Daryl. I saw him glance back to see if I had gotten through. Once he saw I was okay, he kept his eyes glued to the kid.

I leveled my gun as Rick allowed the kid to go first. Stepping lightly, I walked beside Daryl, glancing around for any movement. I noticed that Daryl kept himself about a foot in front of me as we walked. What the hell was all of this?

I had noticed that since we came into Atlanta, ever since I pulled my gun on Rick, Daryl had been acting somewhat protective over me. I felt my face grow warm, and laughed at the idea. That was silly. He was just as upset about Glenn being taken as he was that kid calling me a bitch. Brushing off the thoughts, I began to focus on one thing. Get Glenn back.

We walked on, through an opening. The kid seemed so comfortable, while us three were tensed up. I kept glancing around, watching for God knows what. If it wasn't a person jumping out, it'd be a walker. I was really getting sick of being on my toes all of the time. _Oh, well. That's what happens when the world goes to shit_. I thought to myself as we reached the big wooden doors. They opened.

The first man that appeared, I could tell he was the leader. Guillermo. He asked the kid if he was okay, then proceeded to talk until a man came out of the shadows babbling about how Daryl shot him in the ass. He had his gun raised, so instinctively I aimed my own gun at his forehead.

"Chill." I heard the last word Guillermo said as he pushed the guys arm down. He then spoke to Rick.

"We were hopin' more for a calm discussion." Rick replied. There was a lot of bullshit talk, until Daryl asked if they had his brother.

"Sorry, fresh out of white boys. But I got an Asian. Interested?" Guillermo asked. My head snapped up, and I felt my face growing dark with anger.

"I have one of yours, you have one of mine. Sounds like an even trade." Rick offered.

"Don't sound even to me." Guillermo shot back and I scoffed when the kid began pleading with the man.

"My people got attacked, where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?" The leader asked, not backing down.

"Guns?" Rick asked. The two kept on at each other, until Guillermo threatened to unload on us. Rick let it be known we had another person, T-Dog was stationed in a sniper position. Guillermo realized we weren't as dumb as he thought. I began feeling good about him giving in, when he yelled. Rick looked up, and I followed his gaze to see two men bring a man with a sack over his head to the edge of the building. One of the men snatched the sack off. Glenn.

I began to panic. I could feel it rising in my chest. _Stop it Spencer! Not here, not now. Ya gotta keep a steady hand, jus' breathe. Jus' breathe. In, out. In ya nose, out ya mouth..._ I could feel my breathing leveling, as I stared up at Glenn. I barely heard a thing that Guillermo said, except to come back with the guns or come back ready for war. I watched as Glenn disappeared, and the Mexicans went back into the building.

The walk back to the office area was silent. I was racking my brain trying to think of something to get these guys off of our backs and give us Glenn. We couldn't just give up the guns... But we couldn't just leave Glenn either. I heard Rick and T-Dog talking, but I just kept quiet. We walked into the building and went upstairs. I watched as Rick began getting the bag of guns ready.

"Them guns'er worth more an' gold. But gold won't protect ya family, put food on the table. You willin' to give that up for that kid?" Daryl asked, and I looked at him shocked.

"If I knew we'd get Glenn back, I might agree." T-Dog spoke up, and I whipped my head over at him, glaring. "You think that Vato across the way's jus' gonna hand him over?"

"Callin' G a liar?" The kid asked.

"You part of this?" Daryl snapped on the kid. "You wanna hold onto ya teeth?" And with that, Daryl slapped him in the head.

"Question is, do you trust that man's word?" T-Dog asked Rick.

"No, question is, what ya willin' to bet on it? Could be more an' them guns. Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?" Daryl asked.

"Well he damn sure should be." I jumped in, angry. "He saved ya ass when you were stuck in that stupid tank. The rest of us was ready to jus' forget 'bout it. Andrea was wantin' to kill ya. Glenn saved you. I'm goin' back there. With or whithout y'all."

"Spencer, calm down, you're right. The life I have I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He coulda walked away, but he didn't. Neither will I." Rick said firmly.

"So ya gonna hand the guns over?" Daryl asked.

"I didn't say that." Rick replied. "There's nothin' keeping you two here, you should get out, head back to camp. I know I can't convince you to go, Spencer." Rick looked at me.

"Damn right." I nodded.

"And tell ya family what?" T-Dog asked, rubbing his head. Rick looked at Daryl, and so did I. He nodded an 'okay, fine', and began grabbing for the guns. I smiled to myself, happy to know that he was staying with us. I felt...safer.

I leaned forward as Rick handed me a shot gun. Grabbing it, I almost stumbled forward. I had gotten so used to my little .22, that the shotgun seemed heavy. But I had shot a shotgun before. Several times. Checking to see if it was loaded, I heard something interrupt my thoughts.

"Ah, come on! This is nuts!" The kid stood, staring at us. Daryl's hand shot out, poking the kid in the chest, directing him to sit back down. The kid sat, looking panicked. "Just do like G said." Ignoring him, we kept loading weapons.

"Spencer, you're sure you're comfortable with this?" Rick asked, eyeing me wearily.

"Sure. Gotta do what we gotta do." I mumbled, not looking up. Truth be told, I was scared. I didn't know what was going to happen. We were about to waltz up into unknown territory, guns drawn, ready for a showdown. I knew for a fact we had to be out numbered, but I didn't care. The only thing on my mind was getting Glenn out safe, and getting back to camp. Getting back to Cheyenne.

We left the office after tying the kid up. Daryl walked behind him, gun poking into the kid's back. I walked quietly in between Rick and Daryl. Rick was half a step behind me, Daryl a half a step in front of me. T-Dog was to my right. I felt very well covered as we trudged back into the structure where Guillermo and his people were.

We reached the doors, and they opened. Daryl shoved the kid inside first, then walked in, followed by the rest of us. Once inside with the doors shut, we were all face to face. Definitely out numbered, but we seemed to have the upper hand on weapons. I looked around, keeping my facial features calm.

"I see my guns, but they not all in the bag." Guillermo finally spoke.

"That's because they're not yours. I thought I mentioned that." Rick said calmly. When Guillermo's little sidekick began to get aggressive, I aimed my gun at his face. I felt threatened. Rick and Guillermo kept discussing, Rick being clear that he wanted a clean trade.

"I'm gonna chop up your boy. I'm gonna feed him to my 're the evilest, nastiest, man eating bitches you ever saw. I picked 'em up from satan at a yard sale. I told you how it has to be, are you woefully deaf?" Guillermo growled.

"My hearin's fine, you said come locked and loaded," Rick pumped his shotgun, I clicked the hammer on my handgun, and I could hear clicking all around the room. Rick's shotgun was aimed directly at Guillermo's face. "Okay then, we're here." I was fearing the worst, my gun aimed, ready to shoot the first person that so much as stepped toward us. Then I heard it... A voice calling out.

A little old lady came shuffling forward, calling out toward the man that Daryl had shot in the ass. I heard Felipe call her grandmother in Spanish, as he tried to talk her into going back where she had come from. I watched in horror as she just stood there, looking so fragile.

"Get that ol' lady outta the line of fire!" Daryl growled. Guillermo began trying to get her to leave, but she kept crying out about someone in their group not being able to breathe. I saw Rick lowering his gun, so I followed his lead. I had a feeling that things weren't as they seemed. Guillermo instructed Felipe to take his grandmother and take care of the situation. But the little old lady wasn't having any of it.

"Who are those men?" She asked, and when her eyes met mine, her face softened. "And the girl?" She moved forward, standing directly in front of Rick. "Don't you take him!"

"Ma'am?" Rick looked at her strangely.

"Felipe is a good boy! He had his trouble, but he pull himself together. We need him here." The little old lady seemed to be pleading.

"Ma'am, I'm not here to arrest your grandson." Rick assured her.

"Then what do you want him for?" She asked curiously.

"He's...helpin' us find a missing person." Rick lied. "Fellow named Glenn."

"The Asian boy?" The little old lady began explaining she would take us to him. Rick began to follow her, when I heard Guillermo's voice.

"Let 'em pass." He said quietly. I followed behind Rick, feeling eyes on me. The men were staring at us, particularly me. I felt something on my lower back, gently pushing me forward. Daryl was behind me. I relaxed, knowing that we were going to be okay. No war. As soon as we were to the outter part of the building, I felt Daryl's hand leave my back. We followed the elderly lady up some stairs. Once inside the building, my heart dropped into my stomach.

These people weren't the hardcore gangsters that they put off to be. This was a nursing home. Or the remains of one, anyway. They were all fighting to keep these elderly people safe and alive. I sighed as we walked through and I saw people tending to the elderly. I suddenly felt very sorry for Guillermo. He had a hard job.

We walked down the hallway and my mind swarmed with thoughts. What if someone I knew was here? Any of my family? I doubted it, but I kept my eyes open, kept looking carefully at each room we passed. I walked along behind Rick, entering a huge recreation room, when I saw it. An elderly man was having a hard time, and there was Glenn beside them.

"What the hell is this?" Rick glared.

"Asthma attack." Glenn said, looking up. "Can't get his breath all of a sudden."

"Thought you were bein' eaten by dogs, man!" T-Dog said angrily. Glenn looked over and we followed his gaze. There in the corner were three chihuahuas. One began to bark. Rick pulled Guillermo to the side.

"Glenn!" I called to him and walked quickly toward his direction. When I reached him, I grabbed him in a hug. He seemed a little stunned, but he hugged me back.

"Well nice to see you too, Spencer." He laughed. But the laughter was short lived when I pulled away and smacked him on the shoulder. Glenn's face squinched up. "Ow! What was that for?"

"We almost took outta old folks home, thinkin' they were gonna kill you! Or worse! An' here ya are safe and sound." I lowered my voice, glaring at him. When he started grinning, I couldn't help but crack a smile.

We all followed Rick and Guillermo to a more private area so he and Rick could talk. I was standing beside Daryl listening to them talk. I glanced over at Daryl, and he caught my eye. I felt my lips twitch upward momentarily in an "I'm okay" kind of smile. He didn't say anything, just looked away. I looked down at my boots, still listening to Rick talk. Suddenly, I looked up to see Rick giving Guillermo a few guns. I smiled.

After saying our goodbyes, we headed back to the moving van. Glenn got us through the crowded areas with ease, he seemed to know every shortcut and every alley. I was in between Rick and Daryl, once again, as we walked back in the direction we had parked the moving van. I knew we were getting closer.

"Admit it," Glenn's voice broke through my thoughts, "you only came back to Atlanta for the hat." Looking up, I grinned at Rick with his sheriff hat securely on his head.

"Don't tell anybody." Rick teased.

"You've given away half our guns and ammo." Daryl spoke up.

"Not nearly half." Rick argued.

"For what? A bunch'a ol' farts that're gonna die momentarily, anyhow. Seriously, how long ya think they got?" Daryl asked.

"How long do any of us?" Rick asked, but I was just looking ahead, confused. Where was the van? Glenn had parked it right there...

"Oh my God.." Glenn mumbled.

"Where the hell's our van?" Daryl asked.

"We left it right there, who would take it?" Glenn asked.

"Merle." Rick said firmly, and I lifted my arm, resting my hand on the back of my head.

"He's gonna be takin' some vengeance back to camp." Daryl admitted quietly.

"Well, y'all, looks like we're walkin'." I mumbled, trudging toward the direction of our camp. We all walked quickly back in the direction of the camp.

"Be lucky if we make it there by dark." T-Dog shook his head.

"Doubt it." I mumbled as we walked on. After what seemed like forever, Rick suggested we jog, so the all began jogging toward camp. The sun was setting quickly, and I was beginning to feel nervous. We had no cover, and even though the mountain area had been safe so far, I was still worried about potential walkers. I pushed myself to jog faster up the dirt path, Suddenly, I heard screaming, followed by gunshots.

"Oh my God!" Rick breathed, and we took off. I was running full blast, not caring about anything in that moment except getting to the camp. I could hear the gunshots and the screaming and all I could think was that Cheyenne was up there, I had left her all alone. Shay. _Oh, God._ I screamed in my head.

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**So that was ch. 9 ! Hope you all enjoyed, and hopefully ch. 10 will be up soon. I am working on it ! haha I gotta get some energy... Need coffee ! But thanks again for all the people reading and reviewing ! Reviews are greatly appreciated, they keep my inspired to know I am writing a good story. I can't wait to see how this story goes. Maybe it will be better than 'Tame My Heart' ? That's on y'all to decide !**

**~Kaila G.**


	10. Chapter 10

I kept running, I could hear everything so loud and clear. The chaos. People were screaming, I could hear guns being fired. I could see the brush leading in the camp. I put on a burst of speed, scrambling through the bushes, entering the camp. There were walkers everywhere. Horrified, I looked around, searching for Cheyenne and Shay.

I saw the walker stumbling towards me, so I raised my gun. It's face was torn, I could see half of its jaw was eaten away. Taking a quick second to aim, I pulled the trigger, and watched it drop. Another was right in front of me. I shot again. They were everywhere! I kept shooting, making my way over to the RV. Then I heard it, I heard her voice.

"SPENCER!" Cheyenne's voice sounded fragile and afraid. I looked up in just enough time to see her break away from Shay and run toward me. _No, no! Stay where ya are, dammit!_ My mind screamed.

"NO! TURN 'ROUND CHY! GO BACK!" I screamed, begging. "NO!" I could see it. The walker was coming from her right. It was torn to shreds and chewed on, its face sunken in. I raised my gun, pulling the trigger. _Click_. Empty chamber. "NOOOO!" I ran toward Cheyenne. The walker was reaching for her, and I was screaming, begging for it not to reach her. I wasn't close enough!

Suddenly the walker dropped to the ground, and I saw Daryl grab Cheyenne up in his arms. I ran toward them and he jogged to me, handing her over into my arms. I grabbed the small child, holding her tight, holding her close. I began to cry as I sat down on the ground, just holding her.

"Don't cwy!" Cheyenne begged, but she was crying too. I couldn't even speak, I just held her close.

"Come on, girl, get up." I heard Daryl's voice say softly. I looked up at him and nodded. I stood up, picking Cheyenne up into my arms.

"Thank you. Thank you." I said, and I wiped the tears off of my cheeks. Daryl nodded and walked toward everyone. I could see Glenn, panicking. I felt my chest tighten, and this time I couldn't fight it. I walked over to Shay quickly, handing her Cheyenne.

"Spencer! What... What's wrong?" Shay asked, her eyes widening.

"Panic... attack... I can't..." I sat down on the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest. Cheyenne sat down beside me, rubbing my shoulder. Shay knelt down looking in my eyes.

"It's okay, Spence. We're okay! Breathe in your nose and out of your mouth. Think of something happy. Think of the beach or..." Her words disappeared from my head and I went back to another time. A time before the world ended.

_"Hey! It's 'kay, Spence! You're okay!" Sam's voice was soft and convincing. He knelt down on the floor beside me in the hallway. "Look at me, Spence." _

_I looked up at him, as I sat there hyperventilating. My breaths were short and hard, my chest was constricted tight. I could feel tingling all down my arms, my hands were going numb. The feeling was overwhelming me, and I was panicking, making it worse. _

_"Spencer," Sam looked at me. "Breathe, girl. Everything's fine. Think 'bout the time we went to the beach. 'Member last summer? You an' I snuck down to Panama City and stayed for a whole week? We stayed out on the beach everyday from mornin' 'til night. Came home lookin' like some damn burnt toast. I ran out into the water, you started yellin', "Shark, shark! Sam there's a shark!", and I took off outta that water like a bullet!" Sam grinned._

_"Yea,.. I... 'member that." I was breathing softer now, my breathing was slowing down. I looked at Sam, before leaning my head against the wall._

_"Ya good now?" Sam asked, staring at me._

_"Good now." I said softly, giving him a thankful smile. _

"Spencer? Spencer?" Shay was shaking me. I looked up, my breathing returning back to normal.

"Good, I'm..good." I breathed, standing up, and grabbing Cheyenne. We walked over to the rest of the group, when I heard it. This awful crying, and I recognized the voice right away. Andrea. I pushed past to see Rick, staring ahead in horror. I followed his gaze to see Andrea on the ground, leaned over Amy, who wasn't moving but covered in blood. I felt my stomach churn, and for a moment I thought I was going to be sick.

I turned away quickly, blocking the view from Cheyenne who had begun to cry. Her little body shook as she sobbed into my shoulder. Holding her close, I rubbed her back and cried right along with her. Cheyenne and I had both liked Amy quite a bit, and she had spent a lot of time with Cheyenne.

"Amy's dead, ain't she?" Cheyenne's lip quivered and tears streaked her face.

"Yea, baby... She's gone." I couldn't lie to her. Even if she was only five years old. She lowered her head onto my shoulder and began to cry again.

"I remember my dream now..why I dug the holes." I heard Jim say. I glanced at him, then looked back at Andrea. I felt the tears spring up in my eyes again, and I looked away.

I took Cheyenne to the RV and left her with Dale. It was still dark, but there was a hint of daylight just over the mountain. I made my way over to Rick and Lori. When they saw me, they tried to give me a smile, but I could see that wasn't working out quite well for either of them.

"How's Cheyenne?" Rick asked quietly, studying my face.

"Sad... Really sad 'bout Amy..." I trailed off, fighting the lump in my throat. "But she's tough."

"Understandable. She's so young, she can't control the way she feels. Carl is pretty upset too. And Sophia." Rick nodded.

"Carl was just sobbing... He is all right now, I suppose. Just quiet." Lori said, looking at me with a strained face.

"So's Chy." I nodded, and looked away. "Gotta go find Daryl."

"What for?" Rick asked.

"Ya didn't see?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

"See what?" Lori looked at me confused.

"Well, uh... When we came through the brush, Cheyenne saw me an' took off runnin' toward me. She... She almost got it. A walker came outta nowhere, and my gun was empty. Stupid mistake. Next thing I know, Dixon's got her. Safe an' sound. Handed her to me." I nodded with a sigh. "Biggest relief of my life."

"Daryl's not a bad guy." Rick said softly. "Just hard headed and a bad temper." I nodded with a smile before walking away. I walked past my tent, and could see Daryl beside his truck. He had the motorcycle on the back, and was closing the tailgate. He looked up, and when he saw me coming he stood there awkwardly, waiting.

"Dixon?" I spoke softly. He looked up at me. "Thanks. She means the world to me, ya know? Thank you." Daryl stared at me for a moment, before grunting and walking toward Rick. I took that for a "ya welcome" and was done with it. I walked back over to my tent, and sat down beside Shay. We were silent, just stayed that way, watching the sun come up.

Rick walked past us, radio in hand. He was going to try to get in contact with the guy who helped him after he awoke from his coma. I didn't blame him, really. But breaking through and getting contact was about as likely as the ice cream truck riding though. It just wasn't going to happen. I couldn't tell him that though.

Lori caught my eye, and I watched her walk over to Andrea and kneel beside her. She got on her knees and began talking to Andrea, who was still sitting beside Amy's dead body. After a few moments, I watched as Lori stood and put a hand on Andrea's shoulder before walking away. Feeling horrible, I looked at Shay.

"She ain't turned yet." I sighed, looking at my feet.

"I know." Shay nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I hate it, Spencer. I hate it so much."

"Me too." I agreed. "Amy was a great girl." I could feel the lump in my throat once again.

"What do we do now?" Shay asked, looking at me with tired eyes.

"Honestly, I dunno. Jus' go with the flow. Whatever Rick says we do next, we go." I replied, staring off into space. I stood and walked over to the RV. I was about to go inside, when I heard a grunt, followed by a sick crunching noise. Turning my head, I saw Daryl swining a pick axe into a corpse's head. Had to make sure they didn't come back, that's for sure.

I opened the door and walked inside. I nearly said Cheyenne's name, but stopped. There she was, sprawled out on the seat, fast asleep. Her face was so peaceful, her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders. I backed out of the RV quietly, shutting the door. I would have to wake her up soon enough. Walking over to Dale, I saw Rick walking toward us.

"She still won't move?" Rick asked quietly, looking at Andrea.

"Won't even talk to us. She's been there all night... What'a we do?" Lori asked.

"Can't just leave Amy like that." Shane mumbled, but there was a slight sadness in his voice. "We need to deal with it. Same as the others."

"I'll tell her how it is." Rick nodded, and walked in her direction. "Andrea." He went to kneel down beside her, and I saw her arm lash out, gun in hand. I saw Rick back off slightly, the two just staring at each other. Rick began backing away, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I looked at Dale, who was just staring at Andrea. Hearing footsteps, I looked over to see Daryl walk up.

"Y'all can't be serious. Gonna let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb!" Daryl fussed. I rolled my eyes in anger, and he caught it. He sneered at me before looking back at Rick.

"What do you suggest?" Rick asked.

"Take the shot. Clean. In the brain from here. Hell, I can hitta turkey in between the eyes from this distance!" Daryl kept his voice low.

"No. For God's sakes let her be." Lori chimed in and I shook my head.

"Whether ya willin' to believe it or not, Andrea'll do what she's gotta." I said firmly. Everyone seemed to agree with that for now, except Daryl, who blew out a breath and walked away. I was sitting quietly, watching the guys drag walker bodies to the fire, when I heard Glenn yell.

"We don't burn them! We bury them. Understand?" Glenn asked. "People go in that row over there."

"Reap what ya sew!" Daryl hollered.

"You know what? Shut up, man!" Morales barked.

"Y'all left my brother for dead! You had this comin'!" Daryl fussed, and I stood up, marching over to him. We stood face to face, the others standing there staring at us. He glared at me. I wanted to yell, scream. Cuss him out for being a jerk. But that wasn't the right thing to do at this time.

"Daryl, please I know ya-" I started.

"A walker got 'em! A walker bit Jim!" Jacqui cried. Daryl and I turned quickly, walking fast toward them. Everyone seemed to swarm Jim, and suddenly, I felt awful for the guy. He was going to die either way, and now he probably felt like a trapped animal.

"Show it to us! Show it to us." Daryl was walking toward him with the pick axe. Jim picked up a shovel, but that didn't last long, T-Dog grabbed him, and Daryl lifted his shirt to show the wound. No getting around that one.

They were all having a discussion about what to do with Jim, and I decided to have no part in it. I stayed quiet and just listened. They began talking of the CDC and Fort Benning. Suddenly Daryl yelled and lunged at Jim with the pick axe. Before I knew what was happening, Rick had his gun aimed at Daryl's head.

"We don't kill the living." Rick said calmly.

"S'funny. Comin' from a man that jus' putta gun to my head." Daryl shot back. I watched as Daryl walked away and I noticed Dale coming back from sitting with Andrea. I decided it was time to go over and say goodbye before it was too late.

"Andrea? It's jus' me." I said quietly, sitting beside her. She looked up at me, with a blank stare. I looked down at Amy to notice a mermaid necklace around her neck. Of course... I had over heard Amy talking about her birthday coming up soon a while back. Suddenly, a flood of emotion came over me and I had to turn my head. _Get'a hold of ya self._ I mumbled in my head, wiping away my tears.

I looked back at Amy and touched her face gently. Andrea kept her eyes glued on her little sister's body, and I touched her arm. Then, I stood, and walked away from the two, a tear running down my cheek. I wiped it away when I saw Daryl looking at me strangely. I walked past the stripped down red sports car, and to the edge of the woods. I had to get a hold on myself.

After a few moments, I rejoined the group, in just enough time to see Carol sobbing and hacking away at Ed's head with the pick axe. _Good for her._ I thought. My thoughts turned back to Andrea and how sad she had looked. Turning my head, I saw Amy move. Oh, God. She was turning.

I watched as Andrea spoke to her, and Amy grabbed at her, trying to pull her close to bite her. Andrea was just speaking to her, holding her face at a distance so she couldn't be bitten. Shane and Rick walked toward them, drawing their guns. But Andrea already was pulling hers out. She placed it against Amy's head, and said something, before pulling the trigger. Amy was still.

* * *

The rest of the day the group was busy burying and burning. Andrea burying Amy was devastating. I had to leave, carrying Cheyenne back down the hill. They had decided to put Jim in the RV, and I didn't quite feel comfortable leaving Cheyenne in the RV with him. I saw Rick and Shane walk into the woods, so I walked over to the RV with Cheyenne.

"Hey Jim." I spoke softly, shifting Cheyenne on my hip. "How ya feelin'?"

"Okay, I guess as okay as one bitten can feel." He spoke quietly.

"If ya need anything, let us know?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Lori and Carol just brought me some water. But I will... Spencer?" Jim's voice sounded pleading.

"Yea?" I turned back to look at him.

"Take care of the little one. I have to go soon. You know that, right?" Jim asked.

"I know." I nodded, trying to keep from crying again.

"Good." Jim smiled. "I want to see my family."

"I know ya do. They miss you." I said, giving him a smile. He closed his eyes and nodded. I walked out of the RV with Cheyenne in just enough time to see Rick step in front of me.

"There you are. We're getting ready to go." Rick explained and I nodded.

"Everybody listen up! Those of you with CB's, we're gonna be on channel forty. But let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you gotta problem, don't have a CB, can't get a signal, anything at all ya gonna hit ya horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?" Shane looked around.

"We are... We're not going." Morales spoke up. I looked at him, shocked.

"We have family in Birmingham. We wanna be with our people." His wife spoke up.

"If you're on ya own, you won't have anyone to watch ya back." Shane tried.

"We'll take the chance. I gotta do what's best for my family." Morales explained.

"You sure?" Rick asked.

"We talked about it. We're sure." His decision was final. We all said goodbye, and I watched sadly as Cheyenne and Sophia said goodbye to Morale's kids. Carl just sat on the car crying.

"Can I wide with Carl and Sophia?" Cheyenne asked. I looked at Rick.

"We're pretty tight, but we can fit one more." Rick grinned and I smiled up at him.

"Thank you." I said quietly. I picked up Cheyenne and gave her a big hug. I walked over to Rick's vehicle and bent down to her level. "Listen to me, Chy. Ya do everything Rick says, got it? And Lori, and Carol. I love ya, babygirl. I'll see ya in a lil' while. Be right behind ya, 'kay?"

"I love you!" Cheyenne grinned, kissing my cheek as she hugged me. I kissed her forehead and watched her hop into the car. I walked away after thanking Rick and Lori once again. I saw Shay and stopped her.

"Ya ridin' in the RV?" I asked.

"Yes. I figured being with Dale, I'll be pretty safe." She managed a smile. "Where you riding?"

"Dunno yet." I said. "Maybe Dixon."

"Have fun with that." Shay laughed.

"Oh, laugh it up. Everywhere else is too crowded." I mumbled.

"Better hurry and get yourself a seat." Shay laughed again.

"Yea, yea." I grinned and walked over to Daryl, who was about to get into his truck. "Hey Dixon!"

"Yea?" He grunted.

"Think I can ride with you? Chy is ridin' with Rick and Lori..." I trailed off with a shrug.

"Don't care." Daryl said impatiently.

"Aight then." I nodded and shifted my duffel bag. Walking around the truck, I opened the passenger door. I shoved my bag into the floor board, and climbed in. Daryl started up the truck, and I felt a strange sadness as we followed the others down the dirt path. Morales and his family veered off, and I looked away.

We drove in silence for what seemed like forever. Passing empty houses and lots of land. I watched the scenery flying by, thinking of how great it was to be on the road. Not so safe, it seemed. But it was nice to feel the wind in my face. I had the window rolled down and I was leaning against the door. I closed my eyes.

"Well shit." Daryl's voice made my eyes pop open. I sat up straight to see everyone pulling over. "Wait here." I watched as Daryl got out of the truck. I saw Rick walk up, they exchanged a few words, and then Daryl motioned for me to come on. Guess it wasn't just a pit stop after all. I sighed and stepped out of the truck. I walked up beside Daryl to see the RV smoking.

"Y'all! Jim! It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore." Jacqui came out of the RV quickly, and then ran back into it.

"Hey, Rick, you wanna hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back." Shane offered.

"Yea, I'll come along too, I'll back ya up." T-Dog offered.

"Y'all keep ya eyes open now. We'll be right back." Shane said. I stood outside with Daryl and the others while Rick walked into the RV. A little while later, he reappeared.

"It's what he said he wants." Rick spoke quietly.

"And he's lucid?" Carol asked. I looked at Rick.

"He seems to be, I would say yes." Rick replied. Dale agreed on Jim's behalf, saying it was his choice. Shane expressed already feeling guilty about the act. Lori agreed with Dale. Shane and Rick carried Jim to a shady spot underneath a tree. Everyone, even the kids said their goodbyes.

"Bye, Jim." I tried to smile. "You'll see ya family soon." I assured, and Cheyenne gave him him a pitiful wave as her little lip quivered.

"Don't cry." Jim whispered to her. I nodded and turned away, walking down the hill. I noticed Daryl standing, watching everyone say goodbye. He said nothing, but gave Jim a look and walked away. I kissed Cheyenne on the head and watched her hop back into the backseat with Carol, Carl, and Sophia. I saw Carl saw something to her, and Cheyenne nodded, looking back towards Jim. I sighed, waved to the kids and Carol, and walked back toward the truck.

Opening the door, I climbed in and sat, looking up the hill at Jim. He was brave, that's for sure. I wasn't sure I could ever be so brave. I heard a noise, and glanced over to see Daryl get into the truck and shut the door. He cranked it up, and waited on the caravan to get moving. As we drove past, I wished Jim all the peace in the world.

* * *

**Well guys, ch. 10 is up ! Hope yall enjoyed. I am so excited to do the CDC chapter, I can't wait to get that one up ! But back to this chapter, I felt really bad for Jim in the show, but I thought that he did the right thing. I can understand his point of view and wanting to be with his family. He knew he wouldn't make the trip anyway... But still. Sad. I really loved this chapter because you get to see the "love/hate" that Spencer and Daryl share which I find kinda funny. The CDC will be great though. For a short time ! Anyway, hope yall enjoyed the chapter ! Reviewers are awesomeeeee ! Reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED !**

**~Kaila G**


	11. Chapter 11

We drove and drove and drove. Daryl was quiet, but I was fine with that. I just enjoyed the company of being in his presence. Yes, he was a jerk more than half the time. Still, I had developed some sort of soft spot for him, and it was just nice to have someone along for the ride. I looked over and gave him a small grin.

"What?" He asked, glancing at me. His voice wasn't harsh, more curious.

"Jus' glad to have someone along for the ride." I admitted.

"Huh." He snorted and I laughed. I caught his smirk, and turned my head back to face the window. It was cloudy and the sun was gone. Not that it would have mattered, it would be dark soon. Looking up, I saw it. I saw the CDC.

"We made it." I whispered, more to myself than Daryl. He was quiet as the caravan slowed to a stop.

"Gotta be on guard." Daryl warned. I nodded as we jumped out of the truck. I walked quickly to Rick's vehicle, grabbing Cheyenne's hand. Flies swarmed around everywhere, swarming dead bodies that were flooding the grounds of the CDC. Cheyenne looked up at me with a disgusted face and I nodded in agreement. The smell was awful.

Holding Cheyenne's hand, I pulled my .22 from the waistband of my shorts. I clicked the safety off, as we walked through cautiously. I coughed, and my eyes watered at the smell. Dead were everywhere. I walked by one, its hair a knotted mess, and I could see its teeth in places I shouldn't where the skin had been torn off. I looked away, pulling Cheyenne closer to me. Rick was whispering to keep quiet and keep moving. I heard Shane instruct us stay together.

Daryl was right behind Cheyenne and I, Shay to my left. We walked quickly and quietly toward the garage like doors. Rick and Shane began trying to open them, but nothing was happening. They weren't budging. It was the CDC. You didn't have to be an idiot to know those doors weren't opening unless someone opened them from the inside.

"There's nobody here." T-Dog stated.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick shot back.

"WALKERS!" I heard Daryl growl, and I whipped around to see them coming. I heard Carol let out a small yell, as Daryl used his crossbow. "You led us into a graveyard!"

"He made a call!" Dale fought back. I picked Cheyenne up, ready to run if needed. Daryl said something else, as Shane charged up to him.

"You hear me? Shut up!" Shane poked his chest hard. "SHUT UP! Rick this is a dead end."

"Where are we gonna go?" Carol cried, holding onto Sophia. Shane was trying to get Rick to listen.

"She's right! We can't be here, this close to the city after dark!" Lori exclaimed.

"Fort Benning, Rick. Still an option." Shane tried.

"On what?" Andrea asked. "No food, no fuel. That's a hundred miles!" Everyone began to panic and started to run back toward the vehicles.

"The camera! It moved!" Rick stopped me dead in my tracks.

"You imagined it." Dale said.

"It moved." Rick said walking back toward the shutters. "It moved." Shane was trying to get Rick to leave. Rick began beating on the shutters.

"I know you're in there! I know you can hear me! Please! We're desperate! Please help us! We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left!" Lori ran over trying to grab Rick. "No where else to go! YOU'RE KILLING US!" I heard Rick screaming, as Shane tried to lead him away. The walkers were coming. A lot of them. I held onto to Cheyenne tightly, and shifted my duffel bag on my shoulder.

Suddenly, I heard a strange noise. I turned to see the shutters opening, and a bright light flooding into my eyes. It opened. It fucking opened. There was someone it there that opened the shutter. Safety! This could be it! The safe haven we had all been hoping for. They might even have a cure, some sort of refugee thing set up inside. We just stood there for a moment, before darting inside. The shutters closed behind us.

I followed Rick's lead, gun raised, just in case. Cheyenne held onto me tightly. Even though small, she was still a bit heavy. I glanced at her, to see her face filled with fear. I tilited my head towards hers, leaning against her. She leaned back, and I whispered in her ear.

"We're safe now, baby." I whispered, and she nodded. Rick and the rest were instructing us to watch for walkers.

"Hello?" A strange voice caused us to aim our guns to the right. "Anybody infected?"

"One of our group was." Rick admitted. "He didn't make it."

"Why are you here, what do you want?" The man asked, stepping out of the shadows. Ah, he had a gun of his own.

"A chance." Rick pleaded.

"That's askin' an awful lot these days." The man countered.

"I know." Rick nodded.

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission." The man ordered.

"We can do that." Rick agreed.

"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed." The man said. We got all of our stuff and ran back in. The man swiped a card. "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here."

"Rick Grimes." Rick stuck out his hand.

"Doctor Edwin Jenner." He said. We followed him to an elevator and stepped inside, quite crowded.

"Doctor's always go 'round packin' heat like that?" Daryl asked from the back of the elevator.

"Uhh, there were plenty left lying around, so I familiarized myself." Dr. Jenner said, then he proceeded to tease Carl. "Except you. I'll have to my eye on you." Carl smiled. We left the elevator when it stopped, and walked down a hallway.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked.

"You claustrophobic?" Dr. Jenner looked back at her.

"A little." She admitted.

"Try not to think about it." He replied as we walked into a bigger area. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." The lights turned on. "Welcome to zone five."

"Where is everybody?" Rick asked as we followed Jenner down the ramp. "The other doctors, the staff?"

"I'm it. It's just me here." Jenner said quietly.

"What about the person you were speakin' with?" Lori asked. "Vi?"

"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them... Welcome." Jenner instructed.

"Hello guests. Welcome." Vi responded.

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry. Now what about those blood samples?" The doctor looked at us. I sat Cheyenne down and stepped forward.

"I could help ya." I spoke up and everyone looked at me. "When I was in college I was in the nursin' program. Like I mentioned before, didn't get too far. But I have drawn blood three or four times."

"Okay then. You are..?" Jenner looked at me.

"Spencer."

"Well, Spencer. You're now part of my nursing staff." He smiled and I nodded with a slight grin. I helped Dr. Jenner get the needles ready. "Remember to tye their arm tight and label the vials."

"Got it." I said, walking over to Carl. "You're first." I grinned at him with the needle in hand. Carl nodded and Lori stood beside him as I prepared his arm. I told him to squeeze my hand, which he did. There was the vein. Once everything seemed in check I gently, but quickly, stuck the needle into his vein and took just enough blood. I secured the small dot with a bandaid, and patted him on the head. "Not so bad, huh?"

"No, not really. Thanks." Carl smiled. I felt accomplished as I kept helping Jenner. I had one last person in my section, and I noticed it was Daryl. He walked up and sat down in the chair, eyeing me.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Sure." He mumbled. I grabbed his arm, and tied the tourniquet tight.

"Uhh, squeeze my hand so I can see your vein better." I mumbled, feeling myself blush slightly. His hand was rough, but his fingertips had a smoothness to them, as grabbed my hand. Daryl squeezed it a couple of times, smirking as he did. I ignored this, and slipped the needle in his arm, drawing his blood. Once done, I slipped the needle back out, and put a bandaid on his arm. "All set." Daryl grumbled slightly, standing up and walking away. I gave Dr. Jenner the samples I had taken.

"Your turn." Dr. Jenner said, and I laughed nervously.

"Wow, I forgot 'bout myself." I admitted, which made Rick chuckle. Jenner slid the needle into my arm, took my blood, and labled it with my name.

* * *

That night we sat around the table laughing and drinking. We had eaten a good meal, and I was thoroughly enjoying the wine. A little too much, maybe. Dale was going on about how children can have wine in Italy and France as he handed Lori her glass. I laughed at the look on Lori's face.

"Well, and when Carl is in Italy or France He can have some then." Lori took a sip.

"What's it gonna hurt? Come on!" Rick encouraged. He laughed. "Come on!" We all burst into laughter as Dale poured Carl a little bit in a cup and handed it over. Carl took it smiling and drank a sip. Rick let out a small laugh as Carl swallowed.

"EWWW!" Carl grimaced, plunking the cup down. I started giggling, and so did Shay and Cheyenne.

"That's my boy, that's my boy." Lori said.

'You should stick to soda pop, there bud." Shane smiled lightly.

"Not you, Glenn!" I heard Daryl's voice.

"What?" Glenn looked up, a huge smile on his face.

"Keep drankin' lil' man. I wanna see how red your face can get." Daryl teased. I began giggling again. I heard a tapping noise and saw Rick stand up.

"Seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly." Rick said.

"He is more than just our host." T-Dog spoke up.

"Yea!" We all spoke.

"Boo yah!" Daryl lifted his bottle.

"Thank you." Rick said. But Jenner was quiet. He just lifted his glass and drank.

"So when you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc? All the uh, the other doctors. We're s'posed to be figurin' out what happened. Where are they?" Shane asked, killing the mood.

"We're celebrating, Shane. No need to do this now." Rick said, sitting down.

"Oh, but wait a second. That's why we're here, right? This was your move, s'posed to find all the answers. Instead we uh, we found him." Shane pointed to Jenner. "Found one man. Why?"

"Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military got overrun, the rest bolted." Jenner explained.

"Every last one?" Shane asked.

"No. Many couldn't face walkin' out the door. They...opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time." The doctor looked down.

"You didn't leave." Andrea spoke. "Why?"

"I just kept workin', hoping to do some good." Jenner answered.

"Dude you are such a buzz kill, man." Glenn complained toward Shane. That cut dinner short. Jenner led us down a hallway, explaining things as we walked. When we reached the middle of the hall, I began to listen.

"There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy." He kneeled down in front of Carl, Cheyenne, and Sophia. "Just don't plug in the video game, okay? Same applies. if you shower go easy on the hot water." Jenner turned and walked off. Glenn turned around with big eyes.

"Hot water." He grinned.

"That's what the man said." T-Dog grinned back. I picked out a room, and sat my bag down, fishing out some clean clothes. I walked over to the shower and smiled. I stripped down quickly, and jumped in. I sighed as the hot water ran over me. This couldn't get any better.

I didn't want to use too much hot water, so I showered quickly, and took the grand opportunity to shave. It felt nice to be able to shave in an actual shower. I grinned at my smooth legs, happy to see no razor burn from past experiences. Shaving without soap is not a fun thing.

I turned the water off and grabbed my towel. Stepping out, I dressed quickly, and walked out of my room and into the hallway. Reaching the kitchen, I grabbed a bottle of wine. I walked into a room where I heard laughter, and saw Rick, Lori, Carol, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl all sitting around. The kids were playing on the floor.

"That shower... Good Lord." I shook my head, chugging the wine.

"Spencer, you were already tipsy at dinner." Glenn laughed.

"Was not!" I ginned.

"Sing!" Cheyenne grinned up at me.

"Ah, nah! I can't sing." I smiled back at her.

"That's bullshit and you know it." Shay walked over and sat down. "Sing a song."

"Well, go ahead!" Glenn nodded.

"I dunno what to sing." I looked around.

"Beyonce!" T-Dog joked.

"Well, 'kay then. But gotta do it acappella." I laughed and T-Dog stared at me.

"You better have some pipes girl." T-Dog grinned. "Beyonce's music is tough to sing."

"Oh, she does." Shay winked and I laughed.

"Y'all really want me to sing?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Jus' do it, Spencer!" Glenn encouraged.

"I wanna hear it." Rick nodded.

"Fine... If I were a boy, even jus' for a day. I'd roll out of bed in the mornin' and throw on what I wanted and go."

"Wooo! Damn!" T-Dog grinned.

"Drink beers with guys. And chase after girls. I'd kick it with who I wanted and I'd never get confronted for it. Cause they'd stick up for me. If I were a boy." I belted out. "I think I could understand. How it feels to love a girl, I swear I'd be a better man. I'd listen to her. Cause I know how it hurts. To lose the one you wanted, cause they've taken you for granted. And everything you had got destroyed... There, ya happy?" I grinned.

"Wow, Spencer. I didn't know ya had it in ya!" T-Dog grinned.

"That was really great." Rick nodded with a smile.

"Thanks" I grinned, and I caught Daryl staring at me. His face had the slightest hint of a smile. I grinned and took another sip.

I don't know how long we sat there. I know Daryl had gotten up, and so did Lori. Lori had taken the kids to bed. I stood up, stumbling slightly, trying to catch my balance as Lori walked back in.

"Whoa, Spencer!" Rick laughed. "You gonna make it to your room?"

"You're drunk." Lori laughed.

"Ha ha." I slurred with a teasing sneer. "Of course I will. And yea, I am."

"Need me to walk you to your room?" Rick asked.

"You're such a gentleman, but nah. Thanks, though." I said, slurring. I tried to focus on the room as I walked out, and into the hall. I lurched forward, stumbling. I felt a hand reach out and grab my arm.

"Come on, girl." A voice said.

"Sam?" I asked, but no, the voice didn't match Sam's. I looked up and focused in on the face.

"Daryl." His gruff voice caused me to snicker. We walked through the doorway, and I felt like I was falling. I grabbed onto his arm tight, but then realized I was just laying down. He started to let go of my arm, and I giggled.

"Daryl.. Such a jerk." I grinned, and slapped his chest playfully. I heard a grunt, and then I fell into a deep, quiet darkness.

* * *

The next day, I awoke to a nice little headache. Nothing too serious, I expected my head to be pounding. I threw the covers off, and wondered how I had gotten into bed. Thinking hard, I remembered Rick offering to walk me to my room. But I said no... I was in the hall... I stumbled! Then someone... Daryl took me to my room.

"Hmm." I murmured out loud. I stood to walk out of the door, when suddenly, Daryl was right there. We stared at each other for a moment, before I gave him a thankful smile.

"Thanks for bringin' me in here last night. I was drunk off my ass." I admitted.

"Who's Sam?" Daryl sort of mumbled out the question. My eyes locked on his and I turned my head, glaring.

"How do ya know 'bout Sam?" I asked the question a lot more harshly than I meant to. Daryl shrugged.

"Ya called me Sam last night." Daryl said looking at me. "Or more called out for him. You ain't gotta tell me." And with that, he turned to walk away.

"Daryl, he's my brother. Sam's my older brother." I said quietly. Daryl turned back and looked at me. I knew my face held sadness, I couldn't hide it. He nodded and walked out. I followed him to where everyone was sitting, eating breakfast. They were already slamming Dr. Jenner, but when Daryl and I walked in, everyone looked at us strangely.

"No, we didn't sleep together." I waved my hand at them. "I jus' woke up people!" Everyone began to laugh, and even Daryl, who had a smirk on his face let out a small chuckle.

"Here." Lori handed me a bottle of asprin.

"Thanks, lovely." I grinned at her, but she didn't grin back. She gave me a quick smile, then looked back down at her plate. When I felt eyes, I looked over to see Shane glaring. He turned his head and I saw it. Scratch marks on his neck. "The hell happened to you?"

"Sleep." He growled. I shrugged and sat down at the table, joined by Cheyenne, who looked like she had just crawled out of bed herself.

"Hey sleepyhead." I smiled at her, kissing the top of her head.

"Food." She stared at the breakfast wide eyed.

"Yes, food." I laughed, fixing her a plate. Dr. Jenner told us he had some things we probably wanted to know, but he would wait until we finished breakfast. I gulped down my food, feeling great knowing we were finally catching a break. Once finished, I cleaned up after Cheyenne and myself, before following the others into the big room.

"Give me a play back of TS-19." Jenner spoke to Vi.

"Play back of TS-19." Vi began.

"Few people ever got the chance to see this. Very few." Jenner said.

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked.

"An extraordinary one." Jenner replied. "Not that it matters in the end. Take us in for EIV."

"Enhanced Internal View." Vi spoke, and I was amazed at the screen before me. Cheyenne wandered up to the the front with Carl, as we watched the screen. The person was lying down, and the brain was beautiful, glowing and sparkling with blue and green lights. The shot went in deeper into the brain, revealing some sort of bright sparks dashing about everywhere.

"What are those lights?" Shane asked. I glanced over to my left to see Daryl sitting. He looked at me, then back to the screen.

"It's a person's life. Experiences, memories. It's everything. Somewhere in that organic wiring, and all those ripples of light, is you. The thing that makes you unique and human." Jenner explained.

"You don't make sense? Ever?" Daryl asked, he was standing right beside me now.

"Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain. They carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or thinks from the moment of birth..'til the moment of death." Jenner was watching the screen.

"Death? That's what this is? A vigil?" Rick asked, walking forward.

"Yes. Or ra-rather the play back of the vigil." Jenner explained.

"This person died?" Andrea asked, watching. "Who?"

"Test subject nineteen. Someone who was bitten and infected... And volunteered to have us record the process. Vi, scan forward to the first event." Jenner ordered.

"Scanning to first event." Vi responded. I watched carefully as the brain stem began turning black and darkening the brain. The blue and green glowing wasn't so bright anymore.

"What is that?" Glenn asked from somewhere in the room.

"It invades the brain like meningitis." The doctor went on explaining the process. I watched as the light slowly faded into nothing but darkness. "Then death. Everything you ever were or will be, gone."

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asked, looking up at her mother.

"Yes." Carol said softly. I looked over to see Andrea crying.

"She lost somebody two days ago...her sister." Lori said to Dr. Jenner, who was looking at Andrea questioningly. He stepped closer to her.

"I lost somebody, too. I know how devastating it is." He and Andrea shared a look before he moved on. "Scan to the second event."

"Scanning to second event." Vi announced.

"The resurrection times vary wildly. We have reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient it was two hours, one minute, seven seconds." I looked at him strangely. I know people are devoted to their work... But that devoted? I looked back up to the screen to see a small part of the center of the brain turn red.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked.

"No just the brain stem. Basically it gets them up and moving." Jenner said.

"How is that possible?" I asked. Jenner just looked at me. He didn't know.

"But they're not alive?" Rick stepped forward.

"You tell me." Jenner looked at Rick.

"It's nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark." Rick said.

"Dark, lifeless, dead." Jenner began explaining further as we watched. "The human part, that doesn't come back. The you part. Just a shell, driven my mindless instinct." I kept watching the screen when something caught my eye above the test subjects head. A flash of light, and something tore through it's brain. They shot the test subject...

"God, what was that?" Carol asked.

"He shot his patient in the head." Andrea spoke up. "Didn't you?"

"Vi, power down the main screen and the work stations." Jenner ordered.

"Powering down main screen and work stations." Vi responded, and the room dimmed a bit.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea asked. Jenner went on to name things, but all in all, he had no answers. Carol began asking about other facilities, to which Jenner said he had been in the dark for about a month. There was nothing. Everything was gone. And if there was other groups or other people, they were in the same boat we were in.

"Man Imma get shit faced drunk..again." Daryl said, rubbing his head and resting on his elbows.

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxiding for you, and I hate to ask one more question. But that clock, it's counting down. What happens at zero?" Dale asked, and I whipped my head up to notice, sure enough, there was a clock counting down on the wall.

"The basement generators, they run out of fuel." Jenner replied. My heart began to pound. What did that mean?

"And then?" Rick asked. But Jenner just walked past him, not answering. Rick looked up. "Vi, what happens when the power runs out?"

"When the powers runs out, facility wide decontamination will occur." Vi responded.

"Oh shit..." I mumbled. Rick, Glenn, Shane, and T-Dog left to check downstairs. I sat there, staring at the clock. Decontamination? That didn't sound good.

"Emergency lighting on." I heard Vi's voice.

"What the hell?" I looked around.

"What's goin' on?" Cheyenne ran to me. I grabbed her up and walked into the rec room. Lori was looking at me strangely.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking at her.

"Air's off." She mumbled. I grabbed Cheyenne, pulling her closer. I walked into the hall with Lori to see Jenner coming through. "Why's the air off?"

"And the lights in our room?" Carol asked. Daryl appeared, bottle in hand, saying something about turning the air back on. Dr. Jenner grabbed the bottle from Daryl.

"Energy use is being prioritized." Jenner said blankly.

"Air isn't a priority? And lights?" Dale asked.

"It's not up to me." Jenner said, taking a swig. "Zone five is shuttin' itself down."

"Hey! Hey, what the hell does that mean?" Daryl caught up to Jenner. "Hey, man I'm talkin' to you! What'dya mean it's shuttin' itself down? How can a buildin' do anything?"

"You'd be surprised." I heard Jenner say as Rick and the others came running in.

"Rick!" Lori called down to him. We followed Jenner and Rick walked up to him.

"Jenner, what's happening?" He growled.

"The system is dropping all the non-essential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running until the last possible second. It starts when we just approached the half hour mark. Right on schedule." Jenner said.

"Yea, but what's that mean?" I asked looking at Jenner. "What's the buildin' gonna do?" Jenner handed the bottle of alcohol back to Daryl, who snatched it away.

"It was the French." Jenner said, turning away.

"What?" Andrea asked.

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know." Jenner replied. "While our people were bolting out the door and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs 'til the end. They thought they were close to a solution."

"A solution? Like a cure?" I stared at Jenner with hope.

"What happened?" Jacqui asked.

"Same thing that's happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel, I mean how stupid is that?" Jenner looked crazy for a moment.

"Let me tell you somethin'," Shane darted up the stairs.

"To hell with this, Shane!" Rick tried to stop him.

"I don't even care." Shane ignored Rick.

"Lori! Grab our things, everyone get your stuff, we're gettin' out of her NOW!" Rick yelled. I turned to go to my room when a loud noise interrupted, echoing through my ears.

"Thirty minutes until decontamination." Vi said. I heard Rick and Shane yelling for us to gather our things, when suddenly the door shut. I looked at Andrea and we shared the same look. Terrified.

"Did you just lock us in? He just locked us in!" Glenn yelled.

"Carl!" Lori called.

"MOM!" Carl's scream was full of terror.

"Spencer." Cheyenne said my name, and her voice was small.

"It's okay honey. We all gone be jus' fine, 'kay?" I held her close and glared at Jenner.

"You sonofa bitch!" Daryl's voice rang out.

"Shane! SHANE!" Rick called out.

"You locked us in here!" Daryl attempted to smash Jenner with the glass bottle, but Shane stopped him.

"Jenner," Rick came walking up, "open that door, now."

"There's no point. Everything top side is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed." The doctor said.

"Well open the damn thangs!" Daryl spat.

"That's not something I control. The computers do." Jenner explained. "I told you. Once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that. It's better this way."

"What is? What happens in twenty-eight minutes?" Rick asked. "What happens in twenty-eight minutes?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE IS! We protected the public from some very nasty STUFF! Weaponized SMALL POX! CABOLA STRAINS THAT COULD WIPE OUT HALF THE COUNTRY! STUFF YOU DON'T WANT GETTING OUT, EVER!" Jenner sat down, regaining his composure. "In the event of a catastrophic power failure, a terrorist attack for example, HIT's are deployed to keep any organisms from getting out."

"HIT's?" Rick questioned.

"Vi, define." Jenner ordered. Vi began explaining, and as her words hit my ears, I began to panic. Blow up. The CDC was going to blow up. No, this couldn't be happening. The one place that was supposed to be safe, and it was going to kill us all. I was going to have to sit here, until the last second, lying to Cheyenne. Tell her everything was going to be okay. Everything we've fought for, our lives, keeping ourselves alive, was about to go down the drain.

"Sets the air on fire. No pain. An end to sorrow, grief. Regret. Everything." I hugged Cheyenne close, feeling tears in my eyes. I didn't want to die. I didn't want any of us to die. I glanced at Andrea, who didn't look so worried anymore. How could she be okay at a time like this? Carol was sobbing, holding onto Sophia. I heard glass breaking.

"Open the damn door!" Daryl roared. Shane and Daryl began hacking at the door with axes. I held Cheyenne close, as she cried. I was sitting on the floor near Lori, Carl, Sophia, and Carol. They were all crying, except me and Lori. Daryl tried to attack Jenner again, this time with an axe, but failed.

They were all talking, Carol was pleading with Jenner. Shane turned on Jenner, shoving the gun in his face. Rick and Lori were begging Shane to calm down, when he let out a yell and began firing at the computers. I covered Cheyenne's ears, and grimaced at the loud gunshots as they echoed. Rick wrestled the gun away and knocked Shane down.

"JUS' FUCKIN" LET US OUT!" I screamed at him. I handed Cheyenne to Shay, and stood beside Rick. "Let us out."

"I think you're lyin'." Rick said after Jenner remained silent.

"What?" Jenner looked up.

"You're lyin'. About no hope. If that were true, you woulda bolted with the rest. Or taken the easy way out. You didn't. You chose the hard path, why?" Rick asked.

"It doesn't matter." Jenner said quietly.

"It does matter. It always matters. You stayed, when others ran. Why?" Rick asked again.

"Not because I wanted to. I made a promise." Jenner said, standing up, pointing. "To her. My wife."

"Test subject nineteen was your wife." Lori stated.

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no?" I heard noises to see Daryl trying to get through the doors. "She was dying. Shoulda been me on that table. It wouldn't have mattered to anybody. She was a loss to the world! Hell, she ran this place! I, I just worked here. In our field she was an Einstein. Me? I'm, I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could've done something about this. Not me."

"Your wife didn't have a choice. You do. That's, that's all we want. A choice, a chance." Rick pleaded.

"Let us keep trying as long as we can." Lori begged.

"I told you top side's locked down, I can't open those." He opened the door that Daryl had been smashing away at.

"Come on!" Daryl yelled. I grabbed Cheyenne up and ran for the doors. I turned to see Shay beside me as we ran from the big room.

"Hey! We got four minutes left, come on!" Glenn yelled as he held onto Carl. T-Dog had his arm around Jacqui, pulling her but she stopped him, snatched away.

"No, I'm stayin'!" Jacqui yelled. "I'm stayin' sweetie."

"Look, that's insane!" T-Dog exclaimed.

"No, it's completely sane, for the first time in a long time. I'm not endin' up like Jim and Amy. There's no time to argue, and no point. Not if you wanna get out. Just get out. Get out!" She pushed T-Dog away and grabbed his face. Shane pulled T-Dog away and we ran into the hallway. But stopped when Dale didn't follow. I looked around. Andrea was still in the big room. I shook my head, feeling tears in my eyes. _No, Andrea. Not you too,_ I thought.

"J-just go, GO!" Dale yelled, so we did. We ran up the stairs quickly and made it to the area where we first came in. They began beating on the doors, trying to open them. I had my duffel bag over my shoulder and Cheyenne on my hip. We had to get out of here! Jenner didn't let us out just so we could die in this room. They began smashing against the windows with axes. T-Dog grabbed a chair. Shane shot the window. Nothing.

"Rick! I have something that might help!" Carol called.

"Carol, I don't think a nail file's gonna do it." Shane replied, obviously freaking out.

"Your first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform, I found this in your pocket." Carol handed him a grenade, her hand shaking. Rick took the grenade and ran over to the window.

"LOOK OUT!" He yelled. I heard him pull the pin and he came running toward us. "Oh, shit!" Then there was an explosion and glass breaking. All I could hear was ringing in my ears. I jumped up, snatching up Cheyenne. We ran to the open window. I looked back, hoping to see Dale and Andrea.

"Go, girl!" Daryl pushed me gently through the window. I jumped out. We ran. I grabbed my gun, shooting two walkers along the way that got too close. I saw Daryl decapitate one, as I ran behind him. I made a dash for Daryl's truck, I knew we didn't have much time. "Get in! Get'er in and cover her up!"

I shoved Cheyenne into the truck and Daryl grabbed her, leaning over her. I covered my ears and my head the best I could, leaning down beside Cheyenne. I could hear the rumbling, getting louder like a train, then the explosion hit. A shockwave. The truck shook, and it sounded like a hundred gunshots going off all at once in my ears. All I could hear was ringing, I thought I might be deaf. Debris was flying, I could hear it hitting the truck. I raised up and looked at Daryl. Cheyenne jumped up in time to see Andrea and Dale running for the RV.

"Andwea! She made it!" Cheyenne's voice was excited.

"Yea, she did." I thanked God. I turned to Daryl. "Looks like we're ridin' with you."

Daryl nodded and cranked up the truck. I saw Rick pull forward in the front and turn around. Our little caravan followed. I sighed, pulling Cheyenne close, leaning my head against the window. We made it, we were safe. All except Jacqui... We lost one, but it was her choice and she didn't want to go. I watched as we drove away, the thick, black smoke tumbling into the air. I looked at Daryl, who glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes. In that moment, it had never felt so good to be alive.

* * *

**I feel so accomplished, I got two chapters up todayyy ! Yay ! Well, it might be a couple of days before I update again, because I gotta get the second season from my mother-in-law's house ! But I will update ASAP. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, I enjoyed writing it ! I love the interaction with Daryl and Spencer and how Daryl is getting a wee bit closer to Cheyenne. Reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED, lets me know I'm doin my job ! You guys are awesome !**

**~Kaila G.**


	12. Chapter 12

We drove in silence, my arm around a sleeping Cheyenne. Daryl had one hand on the wheel, one arm on the window. I watched as buildings flew by. I turned my head to face the windshield when Daryl began slowing down. Once all the vehicles came to a stop, I saw Rick making his way down the line, explaining his stop to the other drivers. When he got to Daryl's truck, he gave us that polite Officer Friendly smile.

"Daryl, Spencer, I'm going up to the top of one of those buildings, going to try and make contact with Morgan again. I will be quick, so be ready to go when I get back." Rick explained. I shook my head, and Daryl grunted out an "okay". I watched as Rick walked away, and suddenly felt very sorry for him.

"Think he'll ever reach him?" I asked quietly, looking at Daryl. All he did was shrug and turn back to the window. I watched as his eyes darted around, checking for walkers. I decided to do the same, watch our surroundings. It seemed like ten minutes passed. Maybe shorter, maybe longer. Something caught my eye, and I saw Rick trudging back from where he'd gone.

"Daryl, think you can make it on your motorcycle, leave the truck behind? I'm going to ask Shane to do the same with his jeep. The less gas, the better off we'll be." Rick said, standing at Daryl's window.

"Not'a problem." Daryl said surely, jumping out of the truck.

"Hey, sweetie," I shook Cheyenne awake, "Chy, wake up."

"Not weady to wun, yet." Cheyenne mumbled.

"No runnin', chick. Jus' time to get up. We're goin' to the RV." I explained with a slight smile.

"We are?" She was waking up now.

"Yepp, let's go." I opened the door and stepped out of the truck, helping Cheyenne down. I looked over at Daryl who had already taken his motorcycle off the back. "Thanks for the ride."

Once again, Daryl said nothing, just looked at me and gave me a nod. I turned away, leading Cheyenne to the RV. I saw Rick and Lori share a kiss, and I began to think about that morning at the CDC. Something was up with Lori and Shane. The way he was glaring at her. The way she had looked so... Weird.

I tried not to think about it as Dale called to Shane to come on. I caught Daryl out of the corner of my eye on his motorcycle, ready to go. I looked up at Dale and grinned as I stepped up to him and the RV. He gave me a grin right back.

"Got room for two more?" I asked, squinting in the sun.

"Of course, Spencer." Dale smiled. I climbed into the RV with Cheyenne, and Shane was right behind us. I found a comfortable spot to sit, and Cheyenne climbed into my lap. I noticed Shane kept glancing at us, so I offered him a smile. He smiled back.

I felt really awful for Shane. I mean yeah, I was happy that Rick was alive and found his family. But then again I still felt bad for Shane too. I could see what was going on. He was in love with Lori. She should have made better choices, and so should he. But the world was gone to shit, what could you say?

I watched out of the RV window, feeling a slight smile spread across my lips. Daryl was leading the way, Rick and his car full behind us. I looked over at Shay, who gave me a knowing look. We were just happy to be alive and be with all these people we cared about.

"So Spencer, what did you do before all of this?" Shane asked, looking at me. I laughed and Shay joined in.

"I was goin' to school. Medical program, I was really only goin' 'cause my parents..." I trailed off.

"I met her in high school." Shay grinned. "If you couldn't tell, I'm not from Georgia. I came down here because I had family. My parents died, so I had to live with my grandparents. Anyway, I met this crazy girl, here. We hit it off right away, I didn't feel like the new kid in school. After we graduated high school, we decided to go to the same college. Roommates."

"We even worked at the same place." I laughed. "An' the day before the world went to hell, we ordered pizza." I looked over at Glenn.

"Yea, they really did. You gave me a nice tip, too." Glenn said, making everyone laugh. Then there was silence, not an awkward, but a comfortable silence. Until Shane began to clean his gun.

"Looks complicated." Andrea said quietly.

"The trick is gettin' all these pieces back together the same way," Shane had a hint of a smile as he huffed out a laugh. "I could clean yours, show ya how." Shane took her gun from the gun bag. "Oh, yea. This is'a sweet piece."

"It was a gift," Andrea said leaning forward, "from my father. He gave it to me, just before Amy and I took off on our road trip. He said, "Two girls on their own should be able to defend themselves"."

"Smart man, your father. See look, it's a, it's a limited capacity, ya see. It only holds seven rounds." Shane was saying.

"Ah, geez." I heard Dale's voice and I immediately turned by head in his direction. I heard Glenn mumbled an "oh, no" as we drove up highway to see it littered with cars. An eighteen-wheeler was flipped on its side. Doors to cars were open, while others were shut. Clothing and other items were scattered along both sides of the roads. I stood up as Dale came to a stop. I could see Daryl doubling back, and he drove up to Dale's window.

"See a way through?" Dale asked him. Daryl slung his head back with a nod, as if to say "follow me".

"Uhhh... Maybe we should just go back." Glenn offered as we followed Daryl. "There's an interstate bypass-"

"We can't spare the fuel." Dale cut him off. I looked over at T-Dog, who gave me a concerned look. I just turned back to the front windshield, watching as we followed Daryl. Dale weaved in between the mess as best as he could, until suddenly I heard a popping noise, followed by a scraping noise. I could see steam flowing in the front out of the windshield. _Great, there goes the hose 'gain, _I mumbled in my head. Dale stopped, and got out of the RV. We all followed.

"I said it, didn't I say it?" I heard Dale going off on a tangent about the hose.

"Problem, Dale?" Shane asked, looking around.

"Well, just the small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no hope of..." He trailed off as Daryl walked up and began searching through the trunk of a car. "Okay, that was dumb." Dale admitted, and I giggled.

"If ya can't find a radiator hose here..." Shane looked at all the cars.

"There's a whole bunch of stuff we could find." Daryl spoke up, still searching through the trunk.

"Siphon more fuel from the cars for a start." T-Dog said.

"Maybe some water?" Carol looked hopeful.

"Food." Glenn joined the conversation.

"This is a graveyard." Lori spoke up. Everyone looked at her, even Daryl. "I don't know how I feel about this." She looked uncomfortable.

"I know it sucks, but we need supplies." I said softly. She gave me a forced smile and nodded. "Chy, stay close, okay? Stay with Carl and Sophia. In our sight."

"Okay." Cheyenne nodded, and walked over to Carl. I heard Lori and Carol tell Carl and Sophia the same. Usually, I would have stuck around with Lori and Carol, but I decided to venture off on my own. As I began stuffing things into my bag, I felt the slightest hint of guilt. These things didn't belong to me... I guess now they did. I sighed.

As I walked over to another car, I was happy to see Shane had found a whole entire truck full of fresh water. I grinned, thinking to myself how nice that was going to taste. Turning back to the car I was standing at, I opened the door, and rummaged through the dash. I was giving up hope on this car, until I opened the middle console. Newports, a whole pack. Excited, I shoved them into my bag. I hadn't had a cigarette in nearly two years.

I walked around, gathering things, when something caught my attention. Rick was getting his gun ready to shoot. I looked up, straining to see what he was seeing through the scope. I could make out a walker weaving in and out of cars. I laughed to myself, thinking it was about to get its head capped. Then, something else caught my eye. Two of them? Looking closely, my heart dropped into my stomach. There was a... A herd of walkers!

I began to panic. I shoved my bag under one of the cars, and dug for one of my knives. I turned quickly, dodging carefully to the side of a car. I had to find Cheyenne and Shay. I saw Rick turn and I followed him. He looked at me and grabbed my arm.

"Come on!" Rick was in panic mode as well. I ran after him, holding onto the sleeve of his shirt. When he spotted Lori, he stopped. "Lori! Under the cars!" It was like a whisper yell. "Carl, Sophia, Cheyenne, get down now!" I watched as Carl grabbed Cheyenne, and the three children scrambled under cars. Rick jumped underneath one close by to the kids, but I kept going. "Spencer! Get down!" I heard Rick, but I ignored him. I had to find Shay.

I saw T-Dog sneaking around and I followed him. He dashed over to a car, bending down, and I heard him make a noise. I whipped my head to glare, but that glare turned into panic when I saw blood spurting from his arm. He had cut himself on the car door. He jumped up and ran to another vehicle, and I followed him.

"Go." He mouthed, trying to get me to hide and leave him.

"No." I mouthed back, shaking my head. I was afraid that the scent of his blood would attract the walkers. I got my knife ready as he glared at me. T and I kept moving, from car to car. As I darted behind him, I saw that he was leaving a trail of blood. He was losing too much blood. He leaned back suddenly, his eyes wide. I looked over to see a walker coming. I gripped the knife in my hand.

Then Daryl came out of nowhere, shoving his knife through the walker's head. He fell to the ground with it, and looked up at us. "Shhhh." Daryl pressed his finger to his lips, and came over to us. He grabbed T-Dog's feet and slid him on his back, then threw a dead walker on top of him. My eyes met Daryl's and there was something in his eyes, a fire.

He said nothing to me, just gave me a quick shove, and had me underneath a car. He grabbed the dead walker from inside it, and pulled it down on himself. I squeezed my eyes shut for a few seconds, then opened them to see Daryl's blue eyes locked on mine. I just stared at him, trying to keep myself from having a panic attack. Everything was quiet. They were gone.

Daryl shoved the walker off of him and got up quickly, darting over to T-Dog. He uncovered him from the walker, and pulled him up. I began crawling out from underneath the car, and as soon as I got my legs out, I got up quickly. I ran over to T-Dog. Daryl was trying to help him, and I was about to kneel down to join him when I heard a child scream. Sophia? I took off in the direction I had left Rick and the kids.

As I ran up, I saw Rick scooting out from under a vehicle and take off. He jumped the guard rail and took off into the woods. That meant walkers chased Sophia into the woods. Where was Carl and Cheyenne? In a panic, I ran over to where I had seen Carl grab Cheyenne. I dropped to my knees to see Carl, laying on his stomach, one arm over Cheyenne. Both of the kids rolled out from underneath the car and ran to me. I grabbed them both.

"Good God!" I murmured kissing Cheyenne and Carl on the head.

"Lori! There's two walkers after my baby!" Carol cried as she ran to the guard rail. Carl ran over to his mother, and I held onto Cheyenne. I saw Dale and Andrea walk up looking horrified at Carol's state. I began to panic.

What were the chances that Sophia would be okay? Would Rick even find her? He had to. The walkers didn't exactly run, and I knew the kids were pretty fast. Cheyenne wasn't quite to that quickness level yet, but Sophia and Carl could really get up and go when they needed to. I felt sick to my stomach when I thought of little Sophia, having to run for her life.

Shay walked up, and I grabbed her. She hugged me back, then picked up Cheyenne. She only had to take one look at Carol to know something bad had happened to Sophia. I took Shay's arm and led her a few steps away from the group. Carol was already upset enough.

"Sophia ran into the woods. She was bein' chased by two walkers." I whispered and Shay shook her head.

"That's so awful! Oh, God... Why did this happen?" Shay looked at Cheyenne, pulling her close.

"I dunno..." I admitted. "I jus' dunno."

* * *

Rick had returned with out Sophia. Daryl, Glenn, Shane, and Rick had marched right back into the woods to go find her. Shay was in the RV with Carl and Cheyenne. I sat outside with Dale. The group began moving cars, and when Carol came over looking pitiful, asking why we all weren't looking, I went to go check on T-Dog.

"Hey, T." I said, walking up to where he was sitting.

"Hey Spencer." T-Dog gave me a pained smile.

"How's that arm?" I asked, sitting down beside him.

"Hurts like hell." He admitted looking over at me.

"Maybe I can find ya some asprin or somethin'." I said as I started to get up.

"No, no. Dale gave me what he found. Just... Sit with me?" T-Dog looked at me and his eyes were almost pleading.

"Yea, I can do that." I gave him a grin and sat back down.

* * *

Before long, the sun was setting. I heard Andrea and Dale having a spat over her gun. Shane stepped in saying until they'd had proper training, all guns needed to be accounted for. I snickered to myself. _Hell'll freeze over 'fore they take my damn gun,_ I said to myself.

"Oh, God. They're back!" I heard Glenn's voice. I walked over to see Rick and Daryl emerging from the woods. Without Sophia.

"You didn't find her?" Carol's voice was small and strained. I could tell she was crying again. God, I felt so bad.

"Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light." Rick said.

"You can't leave my daughter out there on her own. To spend the night alone in the woods.." Carol pleaded.

"Huntin' in the dark's no good." Daryl explained, and his voice was oddly soft. "We'd jus' be trippin' over ourselves, more people get lost."

"But she's twelve, she can't be out there on her own! You didn't find anything?" Carol cried.

"I know this is hard, but I'm askin' you not to panic. We know she was out there." Rick tried.

"An' we tracked'er for a while." Daryl spoke softly again.

"We have to make this an organized effort. Daryl knows the woods better an' anybody. I've asked him to oversee this." Rick seemed confident.

"Is that... Is that blood?" Carol was staring at Daryl.

"We took down a walker." Rick said.

"A walker, oh my God." Carol breathed in panic.

"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia." Rick assured.

"How can you know that?" Andrea asked.

"We cut the son'o bitch open. Made sure." Daryl admitted.

"How could you..just leave her out there to begin with? How could you just leave her?" Carol was upset, but I began to get upset too. She couldn't blame Rick for this!

"Those two walkers were on us. I, I had to draw 'em off it, it was her best chance." Rick was trying to explain his actions.

"Sounds like he didn't have a choice, Carol." Shane said, defending Rick. I couldn't listen anymore. I slipped away and walked toward the RV. Climbing the ladder, I stepped onto the roof of the RV and sat down, watching the sun set.

_It was getting dark, and I was scared. Ten years old, sitting against the trunk of an old oak tree. I sighed and looked around. I had no idea where I was. All I knew is I was sick of my parents, and I had stormed away from the house, walking into the woods. Now I was beginning to regret my decision._

_I sat, watching the sun slink down. It disappeared, and I was in darkness. I wanted to cry, but I held my head up and pretended I wasn't afraid. I was an explorer, lost from home. I had to find my way back home. Truth was, I was too afraid to get up from where I was sitting. Visions of monsters and creatures swirled through my head. The sound of footsteps made my heart pound._

_"Spence? That you?" Sam's voice made me jump up._

_"Yea, it's me!" I ran over to him, and he grabbed me in a hug._

_"You all right?" Sam asked, staring at me as he let me go._

_"Fine, I guess. I got lost." I admitted. He smiled._

_"I know. I saw ya walk off so I came after ya." Sam explained, looking back toward the direction he came from. "Let's go home."_

_"They were fightin' 'gain." I mumbled as I walked with him through the woods._

_"Don't they always?" Sam snorted. "Over stupid shit."_

_"I know. Mom slapped him." I shook my head._

_"She tends to do that." Sam looked at me. "Ya sure you're all right?"_

_"Yea, jus' hate it when he yells at me. An' hits me." I mumbled._

_"Again?" Sam stopped._

_"Yea, 'gain. Mom didn't even say'a damn thing when he did it... How can a dad hate their kids so much?"_

Footsteps interrupted my thoughts, and I saw Dale's head appear.

"Mind if I sit?" Dale asked, and I smiled.

"C'mon up." I said. It was dark, and peaceful at that moment.

* * *

"Everybody takes a weapon." Rick said. It was morning, and we all stood around, ready to search for Sophia.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about the guns?" Andrea fussed.

"We been over that. Dale, Rick, and I are carryin'. Can't have people poppin' off rounds every time a tree rustles." Shane said.

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea said back.

"Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, herd happens to be passin' by. See, then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it." Shane said firmly.

"The idea is to take the creek up, 'bout five miles, turn 'round come back down the other side. Chances are, she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark." Daryl explained. He caught my eye and I grimaced in the heat.

"Stay quiet, stay sharp. Keep space between you, and always stay within sight of each other." Rick instructed. Shane told everyone to assemble their packs, and Rick went on to ask Dale to keep up with the repairs. I walked up to Rick and stood in front of him.

"Can I talk to ya? And Shane?" I asked quietly. Lori looked at me. "You can come too, if ya want."

"Okay. Shane!" Rick called to him and Shane walked over.

"Yea?" He looked from Rick to me.

"Y'all need my gun?" I asked, looking at them.

"Completely forgot about ya." Shane looked at Rick.

"No, I've seen you shoot. You keep your gun. Jus' don't tell anybody." Rick gave me the slightest grin and I nodded my head.

"Got it." I chirped, walking away. I turned back. "Thanks." Rick nodded. Shay joined me and we left Cheyenne to stay with Dale. I could hear Andrea and Dale going on again about Andrea's gun. She was upset about the CDC still. I sighed. Shay and I followed behind Daryl as we wandered out into the woods.

After walking for what seemed like forever, we found a tent. Unfortunately, all Daryl found inside was a dead man, no Sophia at all. I felt a sinking feeling when we didn't find her in the tent. I was hoping so badly that she'd be in there. We were about to keep moving, when church bells flooded my ears. We all jogged in the direction Rick said it was coming from.

We stumbled upon the church, and ran towards it. Only to be once again, disappointed. There were walkers inside, the guys took them out without problem. I nearly laughed when Daryl sliced one of them, and when it fell forward, he threw his arms up backing away.

"SOPHIA!" Daryl's voice rang out. He walked up to the statue of Jesus and looked up. "Yo, J.C., you takin' requests?" He mumbled. Shane was convinced we were at the wrong church until the bells went off again. Running outside, we found a speaker. Glenn unhooked the wiring and Daryl turned around.

"Timer. It's on'a timer." Daryl said. Carol went back inside the church, but I just walked around the side with Andrea and sat beside her. We looked at each other.

"Ya know, Dale can be hard headed but he's only-" I started but Lori's voice interrupted me.

"Are you really leavin'?" Lori asked.

"Don't you think that's best for all of us?" Shane's voice.

"I think it is. What made you decide?" Lori asked.

"Gotta back away. Jus' tryin' to be the good guy here, Lori. Even if you don't see it. None of this was intended. I mean, I hope you know that. Don't matter as long a I said it." Shane replied.

"You're just gonna disappear? You're not even gonna tell Rick?" She asked.

"He'd only try to stop me, but that's on you. You tell him what ya want, or tell him nothing at all. You're his wife." Shane retorted.

"And Carl? We dragged him into this." Lori's voice was shaky.

"I love Carl." Shane stated firmly.

"He thinks you hate him." Lori pushed.

"I'm tryin' to put some distance, I'm tryin' to make this easier. This ain't easy on any of us, least of all me. I'm the one that loses you." Shane said. I looked at Andrea and stood up, walking around the other side of the church. I waited until I saw Shane walk off before I sat on the steps. Of course Andrea followed.

Rick and Shane gathered everyone outside of the church and decided to split the group. Carl and I wanted to go with them, and they finally agreed to it. Carl grinned up at me and I patted him on the back, giving him a grin.

"Searchin' partners?" I asked holding out my hand. Carl took it and gave it a shake.

"Searching partners." He smiled back. I looked at Shay.

"If ya get back before I do, watch out for Chy, huh?" I asked.

"I will." Shay gave me a smile. I looked at Daryl. He gave a quick nod, assuring me that she was in good hands. Rick took a few minutes inside the church. When he came out, we stood from the steps to head into the woods. Looking back at the church, I tilted my head.

"Let us find Sophia... And lemme find Sam one day." I whispered, before I turned back and followed Rick and Shane into the woods, Carl beside me. We walked along in the dense brush of the forest, looking for any sign of Sophia. When I heard something snap, I stopped, and Rick's hand shot up. Shane put his hand on Carl.

Then I saw it. A deer, a buck. The velvet was thin on his rack, as he emerged into the clearing. He stepped lightly, seemingly unaware of us standing there. Either that or he was just ignoring us. The deer shook his head, and I saw Shane raise his gun.

"Shane!" Rick whispered, and Shane stopped, looking at Carl, who was walking foward. We all three stood back, just watching, as Carl walked closer to the deer. The deer was munching on grass, as Carl stepped closer as quietly as possible. The deer turned to look at him, but remained still.

I watched in awe as the deer allowed Carl to step closer. Glancing over at Rick, I could see the softness in his face as he watched his son step closer to the deer. I looked back at Carl as he stood there watching the deer. I jumped when the sound of a gunshot exploded in my ears. The deer and Carl fell to the ground. I was trying to register what had just happened when I heard Rick yelling.

"No! No, no, no, NO, NO, NO!" He ran forward and I followed.

* * *

**Okay, that's ch.12 ! I know I sorta jumbled things along quickly, but I didn't wanna spend more time than needed on the whole search for Sophia time period before the farm. Poor Spencer, she just gets into the biggest messes, huh ? Now time for the farm ! I am super excited to do this whole season ! Lots of stuff I can add and kinda drag out the farm time since so much (Big and Small) happened there. Now remember, I am sticking to the story line (obviously) but there is no Daryl/Carol, so don't worry about that. And this is the season where Lori turns into the evil bitch. lol That's mean to say now that she's dead but it's so true ! Anyways, hope yall enjoyed, and the reviews are AMAZINNNNN ! Thank you so much ! Reviews are greatly appreciated !**

**~Kaila G.**


	13. Chapter 13

I jumped forward and knelt down beside Carl. Blood was already seeping through his shirt. Going into nurse mode, I instinctively put my hand over the wound, trying to keep pressure on it. Blood drizzled between my fingers as Rick's cries grew more frantic.

"Oh, my God! I didn't see him!" A voice called, and I turned my head to see a man running toward us. "I can help him! Come on!"

I helped Rick lift him, and he gathered Carl into his arms. We ran, and I could see a clearing in sight. I could hear Shane yelling at the man, he had been doing that the whole time we had been running. Rick turned to look at them.

"HOW FAR? HOW FAR?" Rick screamed.

"Not far at all, that way!" The overweight man was gasping for air as he pointed. "Hershel! Talk to Hershel, he'll help ya boy!" I ran ahead with Rick, who was struggling with Carl.

"Here!" I put my arms under Carl's legs, taking some of the weight. "GO!" Rick and I ran as fast as we could, keeping in step with each other. I could see a farm house in sight, and that only pushed Rick and I harder. I heard a girl yell, but I ignored it. We rushed over the fence, I went first, grabbing Carl, Rick got over, then he took half of Carl's weight and we kept running. I could see people on the front porch as we ran closer.

"Was he bit?" The older man asked.

"Shot, by your man." Rick gasped for air, and I looked up, breathing hard.

"Otis?" A woman asked.

"He said find Hershel, is that you?" Rick asked, and the man nodded as they all came toward us. "Help me, you gotta help my boy!" Rick cried. Hershel led us into the house and began immediately instructing his people to grab his medical things.

"Pillow case." Herhsel instructed

"Is he alive?" Rick asked.

"Pillow case, quick!" Hershel ordered.

"Is, is he alive?" Rick asked, grabbing the pillow and yanking off the pillow case.

"Fold it, make a pad." Hershel said, ignoring Rick's questions. Rick put the pillow case on Carl's side and held it down. "Put pressure on the wound." Hershel was checking for Carl's heart beat. "I've gotta heart beat...it's faint." Patricia told Rick to step back, and he did.

"Maggie, I.V." Hershel's voice was calm.

"We need some space." Maggie said to Rick.

"Your name?" Hershel asked.

"Ri-Rick." Rick looked pale.

"Rick?" Hershel repeated.

"I'm, I- I'm, I'm Rick." He nodded.

"Rick, we're gonna do everything we can, okay? You need to give us some room. Now." Hershel said, and I walked over to Rick. I pulled his arm gently, steering him back a few steps. I didn't know what to do, so I grabbed him. I saw Shane coming from the window, so I grabbed Rick's arm and we walked outside onto the porch. Shane and the man, Otis, walked up.

"He's alive? He's still alive?" Otis asked, and I could hear the pain in his voice. Rick wiped his head, and smeared blood on his face.

"Hey, hey," Shane whispered, "look at me." He began digging through his bag. "It's okay." Shane was trying to comfort Rick as he wiped the blood off. Rick began to cry again, and we followed him inside.

"You know his blood type?" Hershel asked.

"A positive, s-same as mine." Rick replied.

"That's fortunate. Don't wander far. I'm gonna need you." Hershel said. "What happened?" Hershel asked.

"I was...trackin' a buck..bullet went through it, went clean through." Otis looked as if he might cry.

"The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved his life. But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. If I can get the bullet fragments out, an' I'm countin' six.." Hershel was looking at Carl's side.

"I never saw him." Otis whispered to the woman Hershel called Patricia. "Until he was on the ground."

"Lori doesn't know." Rick said, as he began crying again. "My wife doesn't know. My wife doesn't know." Shane began whispering to him, trying to calm him down.

"I'll go back." I spoke up.

"NO!" Rick said firmly.

"You can't walk all that way back, you could get lost." Shane agreed. I nodded my head and walked into the other room. Rick and Shane followed and we all sat down. Rick was talking to Shane, breaking down when Maggie appeared in the doorway.

"Rick! He needs blood." She held the door open for Shane and I to walk through. I could hear Carl's cries, and I felt my my heart pounding.

"You, hold 'em down!" Hershel instructed to Shane, who did as he was told.

DAAAD!" Carl screamed in agonizing pain. I ran over to Shane's side, grabbing Carl's hand. Hershel began digging into his skin for the bullet fragment. Carl squeezed my hand as he screamed. I didn't even realize I was crying until I felt the tears running down my face.

"STOP YOU'RE KILLIN' HIM!" Rick yelled.

"Rick, do you want him to live?" Hershel asked.

"He needs blood!" Patricia said loudly.

"DO IT NOW!" Shane screamed, and Rick moved to Patricia. Carl was groaning and gagging in pain. I put my head close to his.

"Carl," I whispered, "I'm here, buddy." I saw Shane's hand on his face, and suddenly he went still. I whipped my head up at Hershel.

"Wait, wait, wait, hey!" Shane was panicking.

"He just passed out." Hershel assured as he pulled out a bullet fragment. "One down...five to go."

I slipped away to the front porch. I could feel it building up in my chest. I sat on the front steps, and took a deep breath. In my nose, out of my mouth. In my nose, out of my mouth. Listening to the breeze blowing, I pictured Carl underneath the car, his arm around Cheyenne. He had been protecting her.. I looked down to see my hands shaking, when I realized they were still covered in blood. Blood on my shirt, my arms, my shorts. I let out a sob, and I could feel myself start hyperventilating.

"Hey! Hey! What's your name?" Maggie came to my side and sat on the stairs.

"Sp-Spen-cer." I said, trying to regain my composure.

"Spencer, Carl's gonna be okay. My Daddy will help him. Just breathe." She said, and something in her voice relaxed me. Until Cheyenne popped in my head again. I jumped to my feet.

"Oh, God. Oh, God. Cheyenne... How do I tell'er? How do I.." I trailed off, putting my hands to my face. "How do I tell a five year old child that the boy who protects her has been shot?" I looked at Maggie with tears in my eyes. I could tell she wasn't sure what to say, so she just reached for me and offered a hug.

"You gonna be okay?" Maggie looked at me.

"I dunno." I admitted.

"Well we can not know together." She nodded her head and we walked inside. Rick and Shane came in, Shane trying to calm Rick down about Lori.

"I'm gonna handle it. But you gotta handle your end." Shane said.

"My, my end?" Rick looked confused.

"Your end is bein' here, for your son. E-even if he didn't need your blood to survive, there's no way I'd ever let you walk out there door. Man, I..I break ya legs if ya tried, ya know that right? If somethin' happened to him and you weren't here... If, if he slipped away while you were gone, you would never forgive yourself for that. And neither would Lori, man." Shane explained.

"You're right." Rick looked up with red eyes.

"When was I ever wrong?" Shane offered a pained smile, and I could see a glimmer of a smile on Rick's face. Shane began recalling Lori's reaction to his incident of being shot. Shane and Rick grabbed each other as Shane talked to him, forehead to forehead.

Hershel came out to inform us that Carl was stable, but we had bigger problems. Carl needed surgery in order for Hershel to remove the remaining bullet fragments. He also discovered that Carl was bleeding internally, and he needed to be put under in order to fix that. Shane stepped up to go to the high school and round up everything Hershel needed. Otis stepped in, refusing to back down, agreeing to go along with him. The two prepared to leave.

"Where is she? Your wife?" Maggie stepped forward.

"In the woods near the highway. There was a pile up of cars along the highway..." Rick trailed off.

"I'll go find her." Maggie talked to Hershel quietly, then started to walk out of the door.

"I'll go with you!" I said, but I turned to Rick and walked over to him. I hugged him, putting my head on his shoulder. "Listen to me. I don't wanna leave you, but I gotta go get Chy. Watch after Carl, but don't wear ya self out. Drink and eat, s'pecially when givin' blood. If he wakes up before I get back, tell him I miss my searchin' partner."

"Thank you Spencer, for everything. For helpin' me... Carry him to the house. Thank you, and I will." Rick gave me a squeeze, and we broke away. I followed Maggie to the stables, and she led her horse out.

"Ever rode on a horse?" She asked.

"Fortunately, yes." I nodded as she hopped on. She gave me her hand, and helped me up.

"Ready?" Maggie glanced back at me.

"Ready!" I said, and the horse began to run. I held onto the saddle tight as we dashed through the woods. I felt free in that moment, suddenly missing the feeling of riding horses. We rode on, and I began to worry we wouldn't find them. Then we heard screaming. We broke through the trees, and I could see Andrea on her back, a walker over her. Maggie's grip tightened on the bat she held, and as we rode by, she smashed the walkers head with the bat.

"Lori? Lori Grimes?" Maggie asked.

"Lori!" I screamed her name and she looked at me in horror at the blood covering me.

"Whoa! I'm Lori!" She looked at Maggie.

"Rick sent me, you gotta come now!" Maggie exclaimed.

"What?" Lori looked at us in confusion. I jumped off the horse.

"Lori, GO!" I yelled.

"There's been an accident, Carl's been shot! He's still alive, but you gotta come now! Rick needs you, jus' come!" Maggie yelped. Lori dropped her bag, jumping onto the horse.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, we dunno this girl!" Daryl argued. "You can't get on that horse!"

"Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" Maggie began giving directions to Glenn. "You'll see the mailbox, name's Greene. YAH!" And with that, she had the horse galloping away. I looked over at the moaning noise I heard, to see the walker sitting up.

"Shuttup." Daryl growled, shooting it in the head. He looked at me. We got back to the highway quickly and reached Dale, who looked at me worriedly.

"Carl's been shot." I said, before he could ask.

"Shot? What'dya mean shot?" Dale's voice rising.

"I dunno, Dale I wasn't there. All I know is this chick ran out of nowhere, like Zorro, on a horse and took Lori." Glenn explained.

"You let her?" Dale looked to Daryl.

"Climb down outta my asshole, man. Rick sent'er!" Daryl said, but his voice wasn't harsh. "She knew Lori's name and Carl's."

"And I heard screams, was that you?" Dale asked Andrea, who ignored him and kept walking.

"She got attacked by a walker. It was a close call." Glenn mumbled.

"Andrea, are you all right?" Dale asked. Andrea just looked at him, shaking her head. She walked into the RV, and Cheyenne darted out of it. I heard the door slam as Cheyenne ran toward me. Shay looked at me, and I thought I might cry.

"Spencer!" She stopped and stared at my clothes. "What's wong? Why's there blood on you?"

"Baby, why don't ya come sit over here with me?" I asked, my voice shaking. I picked Cheyenne up and sat her on the hood of a truck.

"Were you bited?" She asked, her big blue eyes full of worry. I forced a smile.

"No, honey. I wasn't bitten." When I said bitten, my voice faultered. I looked down at her face, and took a breath. "Chy, Carl's been shot." I watched her face fall and she looked as if her heart was broken.

"Carl?" She said his name softly, and I looked down. When I looked back up at her, she had tears in her eyes.

"Listen, though, 'kay? He's gonna be fine, ya know that? He's at a doctor's house, an' he is gonna do all that he can to fix him up." I looked at Cheyenne with the best look I could offer. Carol looked up at me with sad eyes, as I helped Cheyenne off the hood of the truck. I began to cry again, so Shay walked over.

"Go get cleaned up. I got her." Shay picked Cheyenne up and took her to the RV. I could hear Cheyenne's sniffles as she cried. Running my fingers through my hair, I leaned against the hood of the car. Dale walked up to me.

"Spencer..what happened?" Dale asked quietly.

"A deer, there was...a, a deer. He was beautiful... Carl walked over to it, an' the next thing I know, he's on the ground." I shook my head, fighting the images away. I walked away from Dale, and stopped in the middle of the road, staring at my hands. I saw they were still covered in blood.

"Come on." Daryl was in front of me suddenly, with my duffel back. "Gotta clean ya self up." I looked up at him, wiping the tears away from my eyes. I knew I probably had blood all over me. Daryl led me over to the truck full of water, and opened one of them, pushing me underneath it. He grabbed a cloth and wiped my face gently. I let him.

For once, his eyes didn't seem so harsh, so cold. His blue eyes looked almost sad, maybe because of what I had gone through. Maybe because we didn't find Sophia, and Carl was shot. I stared up at him, trying to keep my tears away as he wiped my face. His eyes never left mine until his hand dropped, then he glanced down.

When he backed away, I poured what was left of the water on my hands and arms. When I was soaked, and mostly clean, Daryl jerked his head over to an SUV. There was a huge trunk, with enough room for me to change my clothes without being seen. I walked over to it, feeling numb. Climbing in the back, I changed quickly, and spotted a hair tie in my bag. I braided my hair to one side, then secured it with the tie. After sitting there a minute, I slung my bag over my shoulder and rejoined the group.

"I won't do it. We can't just leave." Carol said as I walked up.

"Carol, the group is split. Scattered and weak." Dale tried.

"What if she comes back? And we're not here?" Carol asked. "Could happen."

"If Sophia found her way back, and we were gone, that would be awful." Andrea admitted.

"Okay," Daryl spoke up and I looked at him, "we gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow mornin's soon enough to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign. Leave'r some supplies. I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV."

"If the RV is stayin', I am too." Dale nodded.

"Thank you." Carol looked so grateful. "Thank you both."

"I'm in." Andrea said. Dale looked at me.

"Then if you're all stayin', I'm-" Glenn started.

"Not you Glenn. You're going. Take Carol's Cherokee." Dale said.

"Me? Why is it always me?" Glenn asked.

"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people, and see what's going on. But most important, you have to get T-Dog there. It's not an option. That cut had gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection. Get 'em to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics, because if not, T-Dog'll die. No joke." Dale explained. I saw Daryl walk over to his motorcycle and dig through his bags. He came back with a huge zip loc bag full of medication and Dale's rag.

"Keep ya oily rags off my brother's motorcycle. Why'd you wait 'til now to say anything? Got my brother's stash." He began naming off medication, when he threw Glenn a bottle. "Got some kickass pain killers." He kept digging until he produced another bottle he read the label and tossed it to Dale. "Not the generics stuff niether. That's first class. Merle got the clap on occasion." Daryl shrugged and walked away.

"Spencer?" Dale asked. I saw Daryl glance back at me. I looked over at Dale with a blank look on my face.

"Take Shay and Cheyenne with you," I said to Glenn. "I'll hang back with the rest of ya. Where else I got to go?" I asked calmly, then I turned and walked to the RV. I climbed the stairs with my bag, and sat on the roof top. After Glenn and T-Dog left, Dale joined me and we sat in a mutual silence. I heard footsteps below me, and voices, followed by Daryl and Andrea emerging from the RV.

'I'm coming too." I heard Andrea say.

"Imma go for a walk. Shine some light in the forest. She's out there, it'll give'r somethin' to look at." Daryl said quietly.

"You think that's a good idea right now?" Dale asked.

"Dale," Andrea said threateningly, and I stood up. I caught her roll her eyes lightly, and I shook my head. Daryl turned after her, and I watched them walk away.

"Spencer, are you okay?" Dale asked, turning back to me.

"Yea." I lied.

"You can talk to me, you know that, right?" Dale pushed.

"Jus' worried 'bout Carl." I said, looking the other way. We slipped back into silence. Carol climbed up, and gave us a weak attempt at a smile.

"Can't sleep?" Dale asked.

"I'm gonna wait for 'em to come back." Carol said, "You both can go down and sleep if you want to." Dale insisted that he was staying. Carol asked which way they went, then silence again. The quiet was nice. After a while, I saw Andrea and Daryl walking back.

"Are you going to stay up here all night?" Dale asked.

"Pretty much. Can't sleep." I mumbled, looking down.

"Understandable. But I, however, do need rest. I'm going to send Daryl up here soon." And with that, Dale stepped over onto the ladder and climbed down. He walked inside the RV after Andrea and Daryl. I heard voices. Leaning down, I dug into my bag and grabbed the pack of cigarettes. Luckily, I had a lighter in my bag from a past supply run. I grabbed it, and opened the pack of Newports.

I put the cigarette between my lips, and tilted my head as I lit it. Inhaling, I watched as a little tuft of smoke tumbled from the end. I exhaled, enjoying the feeling. I heard the RV's door shut, and feet coming up the ladder. Looking over, I saw Daryl's head appear, and he climbed up. He sat at the other end of the RV.

"Cigarette?" I asked tossing him the pack. He opened it and took one out. I tossed him my lighter.

"Didn't take ya for a smoker." Daryl said, lighting his cigarette.

"I started when I was sixteen. I quit when I started the nursin' program." I explained.

"Why start back now?" He looked at me, and tossed the Newports back, then the lighter.

"Rough day." I said, taking another drag. Daryl was quiet, and I looked out at the mess of cars before jerking my head back at him. "Had to help Rick carry him. Ran as fast as we could. Got to Hershel, the farm owner, and got Carl inside. Hershel was tryin' to get the bullet fragments out, and Carl woke up. While Hershel was diggin' in his side. Carl was screamin' and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do. So, I jus' grabbed his hand and said, "Carl, I'm here, buddy." It's all I could do."

Daryl stared at me, but said nothing. I looked away, feeling the tears in my eyes. I didn't want him to see that. He didn't need to see that. I was quiet, trying to gather my thoughts. Daryl was silent as well, he probably didn't know what to say. I didn't really blame him.

"Then, I had to tell Chy... Do you know what Carl did when those walkers came through?" I asked. Daryl kept looking at me as I talked. "He grabbed Chy, and put his arm over her. He was tryin' to protect her. An' I had to tell her he got shot." I looked down.

"Why ya beatin' ya self up over it?" Daryl asked gruffly. I took a minute to answer.

"Dunno, guess I'm jus' attached to everyone. Carl... It really sucked, Daryl. It fuckin' sucked to see him like that. Rick, he was a mess. I was a mess. Maggie had to..." I trailed off.

"To what?" Daryl took a hit off of his cigarette.

"Talk me down." I looked out onto the road. I looked back at Daryl and we just stared at each other for a moment.

"Why don't ya get some sleep?" Daryl nodded toward the stairs of the RV.

"Nah," I shook my head. "I think I'd rather sit out here." I took another cigarette out and lit it. I looked over at Daryl who was eyeing my cigarette. I scooted closer to him, handing him one.

* * *

**Well, I did a lot of filler, but I hope you guys enjoyed it ! I got a little teary when I did this chapter, because of all the emotion behind it, and having to rewatch the episode where Carl gets shot. I figured it would be interesting to have Spencer tag along with Rick, Shane, and Carl. It definitely played out better than I imagined ! I am happy I decided to do that. Lemme know what yall think ! As always the reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED ! Thanks again to all my readers/reviewers/favoriters/followers !**

**~Kaila G.**


	14. Chapter 14

I awoke the next morning to a, somewhat cloudy, but warm day. I opened my eyes and looked around, seeing Dale sitting in the chair on the RV. Sitting up, I realized there was a blanket on me. I pushed it off and rubbed my eyes, then looked at Dale.

"Good morning." Dale smiled.

"Did...did I sleep up here all night?" I asked, looking around.

"Sure did. I came up at the crack of dawn, Daryl told me you knocked out a couple of hours before. I agreed not to wake you, you were safe up here anyway." Dale explained.

"Yesterday was rough. Needed that sleep. Dunno when I'll be able to sleep like that 'gain." I admitted. Standing up, I looked over to see Daryl and Carol standing by an abandoned car. There was a sign and supplies on the car. I sighed and shook my head, turning back to Dale. "Think we'll find'er?"

"If anyone can, it's Daryl." Dale assured me.

"You're right." I agreed and I turned to the ladder of the RV. Dale followed, and we both walked over to Carol, Daryl, and Andrea.

"Y'all ready?" Daryl looked at Dale.

"Ready as ready can be." Dale said quietly. I watched as Dale and Carol walked to the RV. Andrea climbed into an SUV looking vehicle. I walked to the RV, deciding not to push my luck with Daryl. I wanted to ride with him, but decided that last night was already enough. And even last night wasn't much. I climbed into the RV and sat down, watching as the scenery flew by. Finally, Daryl turned down a dirt road, and as we followed behind him and Andrea, I saw the mailbox. It read 'Greene'.

Sitting back, I began to feel nervous as we rode to the farm. I wondered if Carl was okay, or was he worse? There was no way of being able to find out until now, and I was worried. We pulled up to the house and parked in the yard. I walked down the stairs quickly, and walked toward the porch. I could see Rick and Lori, along with Hershel's people.

"How is he?" Dale asked. I looked at Rick. He looked like hell.

"He'll pull through. Thanks to Hershel, and his people, and.." Lori trailed off.

"And Shane." Rick spoke up. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him." I looked over to see Shane, but there was something different in his eyes. He looked...lost. Also his head was shaved now... I stared at Shane, wondering what was going on with him. He didn't look right.

My attention was caught by Shay walking over with Cheyenne in her arms. She let Cheyenne go, and she ran to me. I picked her up, kissing her cheek and giving her a big squeeze. "Love you, munchkin."

"Love you." Cheyenne smiled.

Dale walked forward to hug Rick. I heard Carol murmur a "thank God", before grabbing Lori in a hug. I saw T-Dog hug Andrea, and I looked over to see Glenn. I walked over and threw my arms around him. He hugged me back without a word, and when I pulled away, I saw the small smile on his face.

"How did it happen?" Dale asked. He didn't get much out of me when I was with him the day before, I had been in too much shock.

"Hunting accident. That's all, just a stupid accident." Rick explained. I learned that we were attending a service for Otis, and I felt sad for Patricia. Even though Otis shot Carl, it was clearly an accident, and he shouldn't have had to die for it. I stood by the pile of stones as Maggie's sister added one. I had heard Maggie call her Beth.

Hershel began reading from the bible, then just making a funeral like speech. I felt as if Hershel was saying all the right words, everything seemed to come from his heart as he spoke. Otis would have been proud to have heard the way Hershel portrayed him. I smiled lightly through my sadness.

"Shane," Hershel looked at him, "will you speak for Otis?"

"I'm not good at it... I'm sorry." Shane whispered the last part. I watched him carefully. There was something there, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments. Please, I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning." Patricia looked pitiful as she spoke.

"He... We were 'bout done. Almost outta ammo, we were down to pistols by then. I was limpin', it was bad. Ankle all swollen up. "We gotta save the boy", see that's what he said. He gave me his back pack, he shoved me ahead. "Run," he said, "I'll take the rear, I'll cover you." An' when I looked back..." Shane began limping toward the pile of stones. "If not for Otis, I'd never made it out alive. An' that goes for Carl too. It was Otis, he saved us both. And he did that, for it had meaning. It was his."

The look in Shane's eyes told me all I needed to know. Guilt. All I could see etched all over his face was guilt. I didn't understand, maybe because he had mande it out and Otis hadn't? Sure Shane was wreckless at times and his temper flared, but he wasn't a bad guy...right? Was there more to the story than he was letting on? I also noticed the looks Lori was giving him. Her face wasn't looking so harsh toward him anymore.

Rick decided to organize a search party. I stood by the truck as Maggie spread out a map. Hershel told Rick and Shane that they were in no shape to go off just yet. Daryl decided to go on his on, and Shane offered to drive up the interstate. I wanted to go with Daryl, but I knew it'd be better if I stayed behind and set up something for Cheyenne, Shay, and myself.

"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. Need the gun trainin' we been promisin'." Shane said, interrupting my thoughts.

"I'd prefer you not carryin' guns on my property." Hershel started, and I slinked away toward the RV. I was not giving up my gun. I walked around the RV, looking out into the field. I heard something, realizing someone had walked into the RV. After a few moments, they walked back out.

"I hear he uh, he woke up." I heard Shane's voice.

"Yea, he's in and out, but yea. He's gona be all right." I heard Lori say. I tried not to listen to them speaking, but I couldn't help over hearing.

"That's good... Did ya mean it?" Shane asked.

"What?" Lori asked back.

"You said stay. Did you mean it? Look, if you didn't just say so, but.. Do it now, I need to know." Shane's voice had a pleading tone.

"I meant it." Lori said surely.

"All right then." Shane's voice sounded like a giddy teenager. I realized that Lori and Shane were a toxic mix. Sighing, I walked away from the RV, and over to the area in the trees where the group was setting up camp. Maggie was grabbing Glenn for a supply run, and explaining the water situation to Dale. Maggie walked off to get the horses ready for supply run.

"Horse?" Glenn looked worried. I began to giggle.

"Glenn, could ya do me a favor?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.

"Sure, what?" Glenn asked, looking worried still.

"Can ya grab me a tent? If ya can find one, that is. Jus' somethin' small. Gotta have a sleepin' area for Shay and Chy." I smiled.

"Yea, I'll looked around and see what I can find." Glenn nodded.

"Thanks." I turned to walk away, but looked back at him with a grin. "Good luck on the horse."

"You're a jerk, Spencer." Glenn gave me a fake smile and I laughed. Walking over to the porch, I saw Rick sitting on the stairs. Cheyenne came running up to me and I took her hand, walking over to Rick.

"She really wants to see Carl, ya think tomorrow would be good?" I asked.

"I think so." Rick smiled at Cheyenne.

"Great. I wanna see him too." I admitted.

"Thank you, Spencer." Rick stood. "Thank you for yesterday."

"Don't thank me," I said. "You don't hafta do that." Footsteps caught our attention, and I saw Daryl walking away from the house.

"Daryl!" Rick called to him, and Daryl turned, stopping. "You okay on your own?" Rick asked.

"Better on my own!" Daryl said, walking away. "Don't worry, I'll be back before dark."

"Hey!" Daryl stopped again at Rick's voice. "We gotta base. We can get this search properly organized now."

"Ya gotta point? Or we jus' chattin'?" Daryl asked impatiently.

"My point, it lets ya off the hook. You don't owe us anything." Rick explained. Daryl's eyes darted to mine before he turned to walk away.

"Modern plans fall through." He said, not looking back. When Hershel came outside, I smiled at him, before taking Cheyenne back over to where we were setting up camp. I walked up as Lori was walking away from Glenn. I caught the end of their conversation.

"Enough said, consider it done." Glenn said. I looked at him with a strange look, when suddenly, Dale and T-Dog walked up looking quite concerned.

"What?" I asked, studying their faces.

"Walker in the well." T-Dog said, frowning.

"Which one?" I heard Maggie's voice as she hopped off of her horse.

"Follow me." Dale said, and I walked along. Glenn and I glanced at each other as we walked, and Cheyenne was quiet until we reached the well. Lori, Andrea, T-Dog, Dale, Shane, and Maggie walked up to the well, looking down. "Ahh, looks like we got us a swimmer."

"Can I see?" Cheyenne asked, and I shrugged.

"Why not?" I asked to no one in particular. I held onto her tight as I walked her over the well. She looked down and grimaced.

"He's gettin' walker in the water." Cheyenne complained, and I laughed.

"That's disgustin'." I admitted.

"He's winkley." Cheyenne grimaced. Andrea smiled.

"Yea, he's wrinkley aight." I stared down in disgust.

"How long you think he's been down there?" Glenn asked, looking at the walker.

"Long enough to grow gills." Andrea mocked.

"We can't leave it in there. God knows what it's doin' to the water." Lori said.

"How we gonna get it out?" Shane asked.

"Easy. Put'a bullet in its head." T-Dog looked up.

"I don't think that's such a good idea..." I trailed off.

"Whoa, whoa, guys. No." Maggie agreed.

"Why not? It's a good plan." Glenn said quietly.

"It's a stupid plan. If that thing hasn't contaminated the water yet, blowing its brains out will finish the job." Andrea explained.

"Okay, okay!" I mumbled covering Cheyenne's ears. "I'll help with whatever plan y'all come up with, but I gotta get her outta here first." Cheyenne grinned when everyone chuckled. I picked her up and walked back toward the camp area.

"What y'all gonna do with the walker?" Cheyenne asked, playing with my braid.

"Dunno yet." I admitted. "Gotta get it outta the well though, that's for sure."

"Well, ya can't jus' weach in and gwab it." Cheyenne argued.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Chy. They'll get it out, and we'll all stay safe." I said to her, as we reached the campsite. "Shay, we got problems."

"What? What's wrong?" Shay walked over to us.

"Walker in the well!" Cheyenne exclaimed. "I sawed it!"

"You did? Huh." Shay looked up at me as I put Cheyenne down.

"She's right. There's a walker in the well. One of 'em anyway. Gotta get it outta there somehow." I shook my head.

"I'm going to take Cheyenne in the house and see if we can help Carol with anything." Shay said, taking Cheyenne. I watched them walk away, and I sighed.

Walking back to the well, I began to think about everything. When the group had gone into the woods to search for Sophia, before Carl had been shot, I left Cheyenne with Dale. I felt it was safer to leave a five year old where I knew she would be safe, than to drag her into the woods where anything could happen.

Sure, Rick brought Carl along, and look what happened. That could have been Cheyenne. If I would have brought her into the woods, she would have wanted to go with Carl. She would have wanted to go with me. I thought about yesterday, when Cheyenne and Shay left with Glenn.

_"Spencer, why aren't you comin' with us?" Cheyenne asked, looking at me. I looked at her and tried to smile._

_"I gotta stay here for tonight an' look for Sophia, 'kay?" I explained._

_"Can't I stay wiff you?" Cheyenne asked._

_"No ma'am. You gotta go to the house an' check on Carl. You'll be safer there, Chy. It's a house, an' Rick's there. An' Lori. You and Shay will be safe there with them. I can't keep ya both here." I said to her and she nodded._

_"I understand." She said simply._

_"Ya do?" I smiled._

_"Yes." She nodded and climbed into the Cherokee with T-Dog and Glenn. _

_"Be safe?" Shay hugged me._

_"You, too. Watch out for Chy, will ya?" I said, hugging her back._

_"I've been babysitting that child with you since we were in high school. I babysat her on my own for your aunt quite a few times. I got you." Shay grinned and I managed a chuckle. _

_"Go, get T some help." I managed to say, as she walked over to the jeep and climbed in. I saw Cheyenne, Shay, and T-Dog wave. I waved back with a shaky hand._

"Have I mentioned that I really like your new haircut?" I heard Glenn ask. "You have a nice shaped head." I heard Shane huff out a quiet laugh as he tied a rope around Glenn.

"Don't worry 'bout it bud," Shane slapped Glenn on the back gently. "Hey, we're gonna getcha outta here in one piece."

"Living piece. The living part is important." Glenn mumbled. "Nice and slow please."

"We got ya." Andrea said.

"The hell are y'all doin'?" I looked at them, and when they all looked back at me I laughed. "Aight, dumb question. Where I need to be?"

"Jus' grab a spot." Shane nodded to the rope. I stood at the back with Andrea who gave me a slight smile.

"Ready to play tug-of-Glenn?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"You're awful." Andrea laughed. I giggled. Dale joined us at the back of the line, his face pondering over our giggles.

"Ohh, you people are crazy!" Maggie looked at us as if that were true.

"You wanna get it outta ya well or not?" Shane asked.

"Give us an eye there, Maggie." Dale instructed, and Maggie walked over to Glenn. We began lowering him into the well.

"Doin' okay?" Maggie asked, leaning over the edge of the well.

"Yepp! Doing great!" Glenn assured, and I nearly laughed at the edge of sarcasm in his voice. Maggie was instructing us to keep lowering, when suddenly, the pump that the rope was wrapped around tore out of the ground. I could hear Glenn's screams as we all struggled to keep him from falling into the walker's grasp.

I lunged forward, grabbing more of the rope as everyone got a sturdy hold and began pulling. I refused to let go, and I could feel the rope sliding across my skin, rubbing the skin raw. I threw the pain from my head and thought about Glenn in the well. I pulled harder, faster. Everyone was yelling, including myself.

"PULL!" I yelled as we kept pulling the rope harder. I saw two hands reach over the middle bar on the well, and Glenn's head popped up. He climbed up and was almost out of the well when Shane grabbed him and yanked him on solid ground. I sat in the dirt, breathing hard. Lori had her hand on Glenn's back, and Andrea was kneeled down in front of him.

Glenn had actually managed to get the rope around the walker, but pulling him out without contaminating the water was a miserable failure, even with the horse's help. The walker split in half, the lower end falling right back down into the well. T-Dog had smashed its head in, upsetting Maggie who obviously wasn't used to seeing that sort of brutality.

Once back to our camp area, I watched as Carol, Shane, and Andrea left to go the highway to check if Sophia was there. I sighed, that feeling of dread coming back over me. I wanted her to be there, I wanted them to come back with Sophia. But I just felt like that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. It's not that I thought Sophia was dead, or worse. I just felt like she was holed up somewhere in the woods, hiding out until someone could find her.

Looking over at an empty spot by the other tents, I wondered when Maggie and Glenn would be back from town. I had a lot of setting up to do. I figured a small tent would be good enough for us three. Shay, Chy, and myself. Maggie had been nice enough to lend me a huge sleeping bag, and a small one. I figured I could spread the big one out for Shay and Cheyenne to sleep on, and I'd take the other that was only meant for one person.

* * *

That evening, Glenn and Maggie returned. Maggie went inside after they dismounted from the horses, and Glenn went straight to Lori. I saw him hand her something, which she quickly put under her shirt. Puzzled, I walked toward Glenn. When he reached me, he offered a smile.

"Here you go." He handed me a bag. It was a tent, just like I'd asked for.

"Thanks Glenn! 'Preciate it very much..." I trailed off looking up at him. "Lori okay?"

"Yea, fine." Glenn mumbled, and then he walked away. Confused, I shrugged it off and walked over to the area where everyone was set up. After some time, and many curse words later, I had the tent up and looking spiffy. It was small, but hey. It was home. I spread out the big sleeping bag on the ground, and then my small one. I ducked back out of the tent, feeling proud. I turned to walk toward the RV, but stopped.

There was Daryl, walking toward the RV. I noticed he had something in his hands. A bottle... With a flower inside. Why? I watched as he walked up to the RV, and went inside. I then remembered that Carol was in there. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course, how could I have been so stupid?

Daryl was never nice to anyone. The only reason he had helped me clean up is because I was a mess and I was freaked out. The only reason he had sit up on that RV and smoked with me was because Dale told him to come up there. I wasn't stable that night, and they both knew it. Daryl Dixon just doesn't give out flowers. Him and Carol must have something going on.

_Stop, what the hell's wrong with ya? What'dya care anyway? I don't._ I kept telling myself that as I walked over to the RV. Just as I was about to pass the door, Daryl came out, and we were face to face. I looked at him for a moment, my eyes wandering to his. He looked tired, and suddenly I felt a knot in my stomach. I dodged around him and climbed the steps. He didn't even look back, just made his way over to his tent and ducked inside.

"T, man go get some rest. I'll take watch." I said, giving him a nod to the tents below.

"I think I might jus' take you up on that." T-Dog grinned and headed for the steps. "Good night, Spencer."

"Night, T." I called as he walked down the steps. Something caught my eye coming from the house. I saw Lori through the darkness walk toward the RV. She never even looked up at me, just looked around, and walked past the RV and out into the field. _The hell's she doin'? Gonna get herself killed!_ I thought as I watched her walk. I grabbed the binoculars, and watched as she took something out of a paper sack. She squatted down, and I didn't need the binoculars to tell me what she was doing.

_Why's she peein' out there? There's a damn house right in..._ That's when it hit me. The thing she had taken out of the paper sack wasn't a tampon. I picked the binoculars back up in just enough time to see something in her hands. Something in the shape of a pregnancy test. I watched as her head hung, and I knew she was probably crying. Was she... Pregnant?

* * *

**Okay, so ch. 14 is a go ! I'm glad one of my reviewers brought up the fact that Spencer left Cheyenne with Dale and sending her to the farm seemed irrational. But I like to add in my stories what would happen in a real apocalypse so the fact that Spencer was trudging off into the woods, she felt Cheyenne would be safer with Dale. Spencer herself explains that in this chapter. Also the fact that she knew Cheyenne would be better off in a house that out on a car littered street. Plus Spencer was in no shape to be alert (hence Dale sending Daryl up on the RV with her in the previous chapter). In the long run, Spencer just tries to do what's best for Cheyenne considering she is only five, when the other kids are much older. I understand the questioning of her judgement, but that's what makes it so fabulous ! That's what I want ! I questioned much judgement of the characters on TWD in the past, so I needed to put situations where my readers would do the smae for Spencer. I am thrilled to see you guys so into her and the story ! Yall are AWESOME ! Reviews are as well (:**

**~Kaila G.**


	15. Chapter 15

That night, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned. Looking over, I saw Cheyenne and Shay sound asleep. I sat up, grabbed my sleeping bag, and ducked out of the tent, zipping it back quietly. Turning away, I walked over near the RV, and laid my sleeping bag on the ground. Lying down, I looked up at the stars.

A noise to my right made me jerk my head. To my relief, it was only Daryl, walking towards me. His eyes met mine briefly, before he walked around me and started up the RV ladder. I heard Dale's voice, then footsteps coming down the ladder. I looked over expecting Dale, but instead there was Daryl again.

He said nothing, just walked by and headed back to his tent. I watched him walk away, and as he stepped into his tent, he looked back at me. I shut my eyes, trying to imagine that he wasn't there. I reminded myself of the earlier episode with him and Carol. I thought about many things, but Daryl's blue eyes were the last thing in my head before I fell asleep.

* * *

"All right, everyone's gettin' new search grids today." Rick was talking as I stood listening to him speak. "If she made it as far as the farm house Daryl found, she may have gone further east than we've been so far."

"I'd like to help." Jimmy walked up. "I know the area pretty well and stuff." I looked at Rick, but someone else caught my eye. I glanced over at Daryl, who was putting on a plaid shirt over his stained wife beater. I couldn't look away, until his eyes darted to mine, and I instantly looked back at Rick, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Hershel's okay with this?" Rick asked.

"Yea, yea. Uh, he said I should ask you." Jimmy assured.

"All right then, thanks." Rick nodded.

"Nothin' 'bout what Daryl found is screamin' 'Sophia' to me." Shane said. "Anyone could've been holed up in that farm house." I rolled my eyes. I wanted to tell him to stay out of it. Go play with Lori. I told myself to shut up real quick, I couldn't do that.

"Anybody includes her, right?" Andrea argued.

"Whoever slept in that cubbard was no bigger than yay high." Daryl stuck out his arm to demonstrate. Right about the height of Sophia.

"Good lead." Andrea encouraged.

"Maybe we'll pick up her trail again." Rick looked to Daryl.

"Ain't no maybe 'bout it. Imma borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here. Get'a bird's eye view of the whole grid. She's up there, I'll spot'er." Daryl explained.

"Good idea. Maybe you'll see ya chupacabra up there too." T-Dog said seriously. I grinned, remembering the first night at camp. Daryl and his wild story. He caught my grin and gave me a slight sneer. I stuck the tip of my tongue out and gave him a menacing look.

"Chupacabra?" Rick asked, oblivious to silent war Daryl and I were having.

"What you never heard this?" Dale asked, and Daryl looked at him. "The first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of the time he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra." When he said "chupacabra", he made a face, which caused me to giggle. Jimmy laughed and Daryl made a rude comment toward him.

"So you believe in a blood sucking dog?" Rick looked skeptical.

"Believe dead people walkin' 'round?" Daryl asked. Jimmy reached for a gun, causing Rick to stop him.

"Hey, hey. Ever fire one before?" Rick held the gun.

"Well if I'm goin' out, I want one." Jimmy said.

"Yea... An' people in hell want slurpees." Daryl grumbled, which caused me to outright laugh. He looked back at me, giving me a smirk, before walking off toward the stables. Rick split us off into groups, I wound up going with T-Dog, Andrea, and Jimmy. It seemed like Rick and Shane needed time, so I didn't offer to go with them.

We searched through the woods for what felt like hours. Tacking up pieces of blue cloth to show we had covered our parts of the grid. Finding nothing, I felt that sinking feeling in my stomach. That sinking feeling of dread, of knowing we would have to face Carol once again with news of nothing.

Once back to the farm, I caught Glenn and Lori talking. Glenn walked off as soon as soon as Rick and Shane appeared. I stalked off after Glenn, hoping Lori wouldn't see me follow him. When we were out of ear shot, I ran up and grabbed his arm.

"Glenn, slow down!" I stopped him and he looked at me.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately.

"Lori... She's pregnant, ain't she?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"How do you know? Did she tell you?" Glenn looked around to see if anyone could hear us.

"No, I saw her go out into the field. I was wonderin' what the hell she was doin' goin' out there all alone. Realized she was peein', and though to myself why? Why would she do that? Why not jus' pee inside? Grabbed the binoculars, saw somethin' in her hand. Didn't take long to put two an' two together. Actually took me 'bout thirty seconds." I said, still gripping his arm.

"Don't tell anyone, Spencer. She'll think I told." Glenn warned.

"Ya got my word. What's Rick think?" I asked, looking over to see Rick and Lori gone.

"He doesn't know." Glenn said, looking down.

"He don't know? What ya mean he don't know?" I huffed.

"Lori doesn't want to tell him yet." Glenn looked back up at me. "Or at all, I don't know."

"Oh, good God." I mumbled. "Think it's Shane's?"

"What?" Glenn looked at me, surprised.

"Oh, don't play coy. You saw 'em as well as I did sneakin' off together 'fore Rick came along." I looked back toward the house. "Shane's crazy 'bout her. An' I don't see that a good thing. He finds out 'bout this, he's gonna think the baby's his."

"Maybe, but I don't know. It could be Rick's." Glenn tried to make the situation better.

"Could. Yea." I snorted. "But I ain't sayin' shit to no one. For your sake."

"Thanks Spencer." Glenn looked relieved.

"Thank me later, when all hell breaks loose." I laughed and walked off toward the RV. Glenn followed me and walked inside. I walked over to the camp area, and sat beside T-Dog.

"Hey T, wassup?" I grinned.

"Spencer, Spencer, Spencer. I say we covered a lot of ground today, huh?" T-Dog smiled, offering me some water.

"Yea, we did." I took the water and drank.

"Where's the little one?" T-Dog asked, looking around. I laughed.

"Inside with Shay, helpin' Lori and Carol cook. Learnin' to be a 'lil chef." I shook my head.

"Next thing you know, she'll be learnin' how to shoot. Ah, they grow so fast." T-Dog gave me a flashy smile and I raised my eyebrows.

"Learn to shoot my-" I was about to say "ass", when Andrea yelled.

"Walker! Walker!" She stood up on top of the RV.

"Just the one?" Rick asked, and I jumped up from where I was sitting, jogging over to the RV.

"I bet I can nail it from here." Andrea said, grabbing the gun.

"No, no! Andrea, put the gun down!" Rick instructed. I had my knife in my hand.

"You best let us handle this." Shane said, walking toward Rick and I. T-Dog followed with a baseball bat.

"Shane, hold up! Hershel wants to deal with walkers." Rick explained.

"What for, man? We got it covered!" Shane assured.

"Dammit!" Rick muttered, running into the RV. He grabbed his gun, and I followed him. We ran toward the walker in the distance, Shane and T-Dog slightly ahead of us. I managed to get ahead of Shane, however. He was still limping from his experience with town. I noticed Glenn had caught up with us as well. We got closer and Rick raised his gun, and I had my knife ready.

I looked at the figure, realizing in horror who it was. Daryl! Oh, God. We were going to have to shoot him. He was a walker... But then, he looked up at me, and I saw those gorgeous blue eyes. Not clouded over and dead. Bright and alive. He was covered in blood and dirt, he was filthy. He looked up at us, and when his eyes locked on mine, I lowered my knife.

"Daryl!" I cried.

"Is that Daryl?" Glenn asked. I looked over at him as if he were stupid.

"Yes!" I cried.

"That's the third time ya pointed that thing at my head!" Daryl growled. "Ya gonna pull the trigger, or what?" Rick lowered his arm, and I started to step foward. Suddenly, a gun shot rang out, and I watched as Daryl's head jerked back and he fell to the ground.

"NOOOOO! NOOO!" Rick was screaming.

"DARYL!" I screamed his name, and my voice was not mine. Even to my own ears, it sounded unreal. I ran foward and leaned down over him. "DARYL!" He was breathing. Oh, he was breathing! Rick was beside me, and I looked up at the wound on the side of his head. "She grazed him... She only grazed him, thank God!" I whispered. Daryl's eyes opened and I looked into them. He was alive. My heart was pounding as Rick and Shane pulled him up.

"I was kiddin'." Daryl mumbled as they supported his weight. I looked up to see Andrea, and I ran at her.

"Dale!" I heard Rick yell, and before I could grab Andrea, Dale cut me off, stepping in front of me. He grabbed me, holding on tight.

"Lemme go, Dale!" I snarled, but he only tightened his grip.

"Nah uh, I can't do that." Dale grumbled. Andrea stared at me wide eyed at my reaction as she ran up.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God, is he dead?" Andrea was crying.

"Unconscious. You just grazed him." Rick mumbled.

"Better be glad ya didn't kill him!" I growled, and Dale's grip tightened again.

"But look at him, what the hell happened? He's wearing ears!" Glenn exclaimed. Rick snatched them off of his neck.

"Let's keep that to ourselves." He mumbled.

"Guys? Isn't this Sophia's?" T-Dog was holding Sophia's doll when we turned around. I stopped fighting with Dale, just staring at the doll. Daryl had found her doll. Dale kept a grip on me all the way to the house. Once to the porch, I snatched away from him and followed behind Rick and Shane inside. They carried Daryl upstairs, and I approached Hershel.

"I know some medical stuff. Not too much, not like you. But I know how to draw blood an' clean wounds. I wanna help with Daryl." I demanded.

"That's fine by me." Hershel nodded. "He might be more comfortable with one of his own assisting me."

"Thank you." I said that with nothing but sincerity in my voice as I followed him upstairs to the room Daryl was in. Hershel began cleaning the wound.

"When I'm done with his side, you can take care of the head wound. Ever done stitches?" Hershel asked.

"On a practice dummy." I admitted. Daryl looked at me, his face holding curiosity. Probably wondered why the hell I was in here.

"Good enough." Hershel nodded. Rick and Shane came into the room. Rick laid the map out and asked Daryl where he had found the doll.

"I found it washed up on the creek bed, right there." Daryl pointed to a spot on the map. "She must'a dropped it crossin' or somewhere."

"Cuts the grid almost in half." Rick sounded hopeful.

"Yea, ya welcome!" Daryl growled.

"How's he lookin'?" Rick asked, looking at Hershel.

"I had no idea we'd be goin' through the antibiotics so quickly." Hershel admitted. "Any idea what happened to my horse?"

"Yea, the one that almost killed me? If it's smart, it left the country." Daryl grumbled.

"We call that one Nelly, as in Nervous Nelly. I could'a told ya she'd throw ya if you'd bothered to ask." Hershel looked at Rick. "It's a wonder you people have survived so long. Now Spencer here, needs to clean and stitch up Daryl's head, so let's leave her to it. Spencer, are you okay to do this alone?"

"Yea, thanks Hershel." I said surely. The three men left the room, and I walked over to Daryl. Sitting down on the edge of the bed beside him, I picked up the bottle of alcohol and a rag. "Burns like hell, but cleans the best." I turned the alcohol upside down against the rag, and then pressed the rag to the gash on the side of his head. He didn't even flinch, not that his reaction of no reaction surprised me.

I cleaned the wound thoroughly, then grabbed the needle from the side table. I smiled lightly when I saw it was already threaded. _Thanks, Hershel. Once again, _I thought to myself. I leaned over Daryl, having to get much closer physically. He stared up at me, his eyes tired. Probably the medication Hershel had given him.

"Ready?" I asked. He gave me a nod, and I put the needle against his skin. Pushing it through, and pulling the thread, I was a little shocked that he didn't even blink. I kept pushing the needle through his skin, stitching up the wound. I kept glancing down, each time I did so I was met with those beautiful blue eyes. I was nearly done, I pushed the needle through one last time, before tying it off and cutting the thread.

"Why'd ya sound like that?" Daryl asked.

"Huh?" I looked down, confused.

"When she shot me, I heard ya scream my name." Daryl said simply.

"I..." I trailed off, still sitting on the edge of his bed. " I dunno. Thought she killed you."

"So?" Daryl looked at me with tired eyes.

"So ya need sleep." I sighed getting up. "So do I."

"Saw ya layin' outside on ya sleepin' bag." Daryl said quietly.

"Yea, it's pretty crowded in my tent. Gets hot at night." I admitted, gathering up the medical supplies.

"Can sleep in mine 'til I get back out there." Daryl offered. I figured it was his medication talking when he closed his eyes.

"Might jus' take ya up on that." I whispered, and I tiptoed out of the room, making sure to close the door quietly behind me.

* * *

After dinner, I walked with Cheyenne to Carl's room. We walked in to see Lori and Rick sitting at his bedside, talking to him. There was a plate on the side table beside his bed. When Carl saw Cheyenne, he grinned. I smiled and waved, then looked at Lori.

"It aight if we say hello?" I asked. Lori nodded with a smile and we walked over to the bed.

"Carl, I missed you!" Cheyenne gushed, smiling at him. Rick and Lori smiled, and I knelt down beside his bed.

"Hey Carl. How ya feelin'?" I asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Better, how's Daryl?" Carl asked, his face growing serious.

"Good. Jus' got done stitchin' up his head." I said.

"You stitched up his head?" Lori smiled.

"Yes." I half laughed. "That I did."

Cheyenne and Carl talked little chit chat, and I joined them. Carl was looking better, his color was nearly all the way restored. Cheyenne laughed and giggled at Carl, and when he told her about the deer, her eyes grew wide as she listened intently. We sat in there for nearly twenty minutes, when Lori announced it was time for Carl to rest. Cheyenne gave him a gentle pat good night, and I leaned over him, tussling his hair.

"Spencer?" Carl whispered and I leaned down again.

"Yea?" I asked.

"I remember you were there." Carl said. "You held my hand when I woke up."

"I did." I smiled. "I'm always here. Good night, Carl."

"Good night." He smiled back. I led Cheyenne to the tent, and tucked her in. Shay joined us, and she was asleep nearly as soon as Cheyenne. I, on the other hand, could not get comfortable. I dragged my sleeping bag outside the tent, once again. Lying down, I couldn't sleep. I glanced over at Daryl's tent.

I didn't have to think twice. I stood, snatching up my sleeping bag. I walked quietly to Daryl's tent, and ducked inside. Spreading my sleeping bag on the floor, I layed down and closed my eyes. Breathing in, I could smell Daryl. It was hard to explain... It was just a scent I couldn't forget. Thinking about the events of that day, I remembered Daryl's face when he looked up at me as I stitched his head... Sleep came easy.

* * *

**Ahhhhh The Spencer Daryl cuteness ! I am so enjoying this. It's so painful not to just throw them together ! Haha... And to clarify, I don't like Shane either. I did in the first season, but in the second season he went a little cray cray. I want Spencer to see that as the story progresses. I am so excited about the developments with Daryl and Spencer, though. It's getting there, guys (: As always, I am soooooooo greatful for the reviews, they are GREATLY APPRECIATED. This chapter was a bit short, but some warm fuzziness inside ! Hope yall enjoyed ! Will update soon !**

**~Kaila G.**


	16. Chapter 16

I awoke the next morning to dim light seeping through my tent. Looking around, I remembered I was, in fact, not in _my_ original tent. I was in Daryl's tent. Sitting up, I stretched and rubbed my eyes. My hands dropped back down when I thought about the previous day.

Daryl had been shot. Andrea had been oddly hot headed, somewhat like Shane had been acting of late. I shook my head and imagined all the things I would have done to Andrea, had she killed him. Trying not to think about what could have happened, I stood up and ducked out of the tent, walking toward the house.

Thinking about yesterday, I remembered something. When Daryl was telling me I could sleep in his tent, I had noticed quite visible scars along his chest. I was curious, but I knew now wasn't a great time to be asking questions. Maybe one day he'd tell me about it. I nearly laughed at the idea.

I looked over at the sun coming up, realizing that I had actually slept like a brick in Daryl's tent. I only woke up so early due to the fact that I was still concerned. As I made my way over to the house, I saw Shane and Rick emerge from the front door, supporting Daryl. I saw Dale standing by the stairs, so I walked over.

"Why's he leavin' the house?" I demanded, staring at Dale.

"He wants to be back in his own tent." Dale mused, offering a light smile. I shook my head. Daryl Dixon was going to be the death of me. I would worry myself to death before long.

I decided to leave Daryl alone for now. I walked along until I reached my tent. Peeking inside, I saw Cheyenne and Shay both still asleep. Smiling at the two, I stepped away quietly, noticing Glenn and Maggie having a serious discussion. Glenn looked as if he were having a freak out, and Maggie seemed to be trying to calm him down.

It was probably nothing, just all that had happened yesterday. I made a mental note to myself to ask Glenn if he was okay. June bugs buzzed all around, and I listened as I walked. It felt like one of the few things from the old world I still held onto. A simple sound.

Walking up to the RV, I saw T-Dog and Dale setting up the over hang. I gave them a smile, and T-Dog shook his head with a laugh. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was laughing at, but Glenn interrupted us, bringing fruit. He began passing it around.

"Morning." Glenn mumbled and I looked up to see Andrea walk out of the RV.

"Mornin'." She said quickly, but she never even looked at me.

"Sup?" T-Dog asked Glenn, who immediately looked panicked.

"Nothing." Glenn said. "Nothing's up, why?" We stared at him as he walked off, all three of us looking at each other questioningly. My eyes wandered to see Andrea walking towards Daryl's tent. I immediately felt myself bristle slightly.

"Don't worry, she's going to apologize." Dale remarked, giving me a sincere look. I relaxed, and looked over at Dale.

"Good. She needs to. What she did yesterday was stupid." I said, looking back towards Daryl's tent.

"What's goin' on with you and Dixon anyways?" T-Dog asked with a goofy grin.

"Nothin'." I laughed as if his suggestion was the craziest thing I'd ever heard.

"Oh, no girl. That scream you let out yesterday wasn't nothin'. It sounded like you were dyin'." T-Dog raised his eyebrows in question.

"I thought he got shot in the head!" I replied, getting frustrated. Dale looked at T-Dog with a slight glare, and he shut up. I walked away, when Andrea caught my eye coming from Daryl's tent. I decided to go see him. I walked toward her, and we caught eyes. Walking past her, I felt a hand grab my arm gently.

"Spencer, I'm really sorry... I don't know what's going on with you and Daryl but I'm sorry." Andrea looked pitiful.

"Nothin' is goin' on with us! Why does everyone keep askin' me that?" I shook my head. "Jus' go with Shane. He'll help ya, and so will Rick. Get some practice." I said nothing more, I just walked over to his tent and poked my head in. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Daryl grunted. I stepped into the tent and sat beside him.

"How's the head?" I asked, looking at the stitches.

"Itchy." He mumbled. I grinned.

"Good. Mean's it's healin'." I wanted to reach out and touch him, but I didn't. He was handsome, in a rugged way. Very handsome, in fact. From the stuble across his face, to th-

"Ya slept in here last night." Daryl said quietly.

"Yea. Best sleep I got in forever." I half laughed.

"Sleepin' in here tonight?" He asked, still looking at me.

"Said jus' 'til you get back. Plus, I don't think Carol would like that." I mumbled, looking down.

"Why? Ya two together or somethin'?" He asked, causing me to jerk my head up. Suddenly, I laughed. I had been wrong about everything. He wasn't with Carol. I had been foolish, that's what I had been. Upsetting myself over nothing.

"No... I'll be back tonight." I said quietly, getting up and leaving his tent. My stomach fluttered at the thought, and I couldn't hide the grin on my face.

"Spencer, you look happy today." Rick commented.

"It's a great day." I said simply.

"Uh, huh. We're doing target practice, care to come along? Always room to improve." Rick looked at me. I glanced back at Daryl's tent then at Rick.

"Imma bring Shay. She needs practice." Rick nodded, and I left to find Shay. She was still in the tent with Cheyenne, but they were awake. I popped my head in and gave them a smile. "Shay ya comin' with me!"

"Where?" She asked, looking up at me.

"Target practice." I grinned.

"Wanna go!" Cheyenne jumped up.

"I dunno..." I thought about it. She was five years old. Oh, good God, was this really even a topic up for discussion? I sighed, and nodded my head. "Okay, you can come. But this's serious stuff, 'kay?"

"I know." Cheyenne nodded. I looked at Shay for guidance, but she only gave me the "Oh wow, you actually agreed to let her go?" look. We walked over to the cars and packed in, Cheyenne on my lap.

The shooting went well. Of course, I did not allow Cheyenne to shoot, even Shane agreed that I was right on my choice. I couldn't give give a gun to a five year old. She was just too small. Her hands were so tiny, I was afraid she wouldn't even be able to handle the weakest of recoils.

Shay, on the other hand, had showed her true colors. With Rick and Shane instructing, Shay had hit nearly every target they asked of her. I was initially shocked, but happy with the outcome. I was even proud that Shay could defend herself with a gun. It was something that everyone should know how to do in these times.

Once we arrived back to the farm, all except Andrea and Shane, I began helping Carol prepare for dinner. She smiled and seemed happy to have some company. We talked as I helped her do this and that. I even made her laugh a few times, which made me feel better knowing that was still possible.

"Spencer?" Maggie caught me walking away from Carol.

"Hey Maggie." I smiled at her as I watched her catch up.

"You can come inside and take a shower if you want. Just be quick." Maggie nodded toward the house. I looked at her.

"Really? Thank you!" I grinned and jogged over to my tent, snatching up my duffel bag. I walked awkwardly into the house and found my way upstairs. Walking into the bathroom, I shut the door behind me. I wasted no time, stripping down and jumping into the hot shower. Letting out a breath, I relaxed as the hot water flowed over me.

I quickly washed my hair, and my body. I even took the time to shave, not that it mattered anymore. Not wanting to waste hot water, or take advantage of the Greene's, I said a sad good bye to the water and turned it off. Drying off quickly, I dressed in clean clothes and walked back downstairs.

"Thanks 'gain, Maggie." I hugged her, and she smiled.

"You looked like you needed it." She laughed and I laughed with her. Walking through the door, I gave her a small wave, then walked down the stairs. Walking across the yard to the tents, I saw Carol emerging from Daryl's tent. She had an empty plate. My stomach growled.

I joined the group for dinner, eating and talking. Everyone seemed off today. Lori and Rick were more quiet than usual. Andrea had marks all over her, and I quickly realized why her and Shane looked so happy. Glenn was the most quiet out of the group, stalking off to his tent once he finished dinner.

I layed in my own tent until Cheyenne and Shay were asleep. Then, I quietly unzipped the flap, grabbed my sleeping bag, and zipped it back. I walked quietly to Daryl's tent, and stepped inside. Of course, he was still awake. I spread my sleeping bag out, and layed down, looking over at him.

"Thanks." I said simply, then closed my eyes.

"For what?" Daryl grunted.

"Lettin' me sleep in here with you. More room." I kept my eyes closed as I talked.

"Go to sleep." He mumbled and I grinned.

"Night." I rolled over on my side, facing away from him.

"Mhm." He grunted. It wasn't long before I fell asleep. I wasn't ready for the dream that would haunt me.

_I was almost asleep, when I heard the door to my bedroom click open. I rolled over to face the door, sitting up to see who it was coming into my room. I figured it was probably Sam, coming in to tell me something outrageously stupid. Something that could wait until tomorrow morning. But when my eyes fell on the figure at the door, it wasn't Sam. It was my father._

_"Somethin' wrong?" I asked sleepily, rubbing my eyes._

_"No." My father walked over to my bed and sat on the edge of it. "Did I wake you?"_

_"Not really." I mumbled. "I was almost asleep, but not all the way." I stared at him. He never came into my room in the middle of the night, and I could smell the alcohol. Today hadn't been a bad day, in fact, the week itself had been nearly fight free. Sam had just returned from dropping out of law school four days ago, and my parents had both been quiet with each other since they found out._

_And by quiet, I mean nice. They weren't fighting, neither of them had yelled or hit me in nearly a week. That was a new record. Sam and I had even began to worry about their sanity, we were so used to the violence. He had asked me if I thought they were finally losing it, and I had said yes._

_"Sorry..." He was suddenly over me, trying to stick his hand over my mouth. "Shuttup girl, or I'm really gonna hurt you this time." He growled, but I fought back. He ripped at my shirt, and I jerked away, managing to force him to uncover his hand from my mouth._

_"SAM!" I screamed in horror. SMACK. I felt the harsh sting of his hand as it hit my cheek. BAM, my bedroom door slammed open, and suddenly my father was off of me, onto the floor. _

I jumped awake, looking around. I sat up, trying not to cry, trying to make the images leave my head. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I rocked gently, shutting my eyes tight. _Go away, go away, go away._ I willed the dream to disappear, to leave me alone. I was shivering, but it wasn't even cold. A voice made me jump slightly.

"Jus' a bad dream." Daryl's gruff voice flooded through my ears.

"I-I'm sorry. Didn't mean to wake you." I murmured quietly. I felt the tears building up and I told myself not to cry. I looked over at Daryl.

"What was it?" Daryl stared at me.

"The dream?" I asked.

"Yea." He mumbled.

"My..." I trailed off, looking away. "My father, or should I say sperm donor, tried to rape me when I was sixteen. That's what I was dreamin' 'bout. It haunts me." I shuddered.

"He's prolly dead anyways." Daryl muttered, and I realized that was his way of trying to comfort me.

"God, I hope so." I shook my head, holding onto my knees. We were quiet for a few minutes, until Daryl spoke.

"C'mere." He said quietly. I looked up at him, and I saw something in his eyes, a sense of knowing. I crawled over to him and layed down, my head resting between his neck and shoulder. I put my hand on his chest, close to heart. Daryl was tense, but as the minutes passed, I could feel him start to relax.

I was still shivering slightly, but when he pulled me closer resting his arm on my side, I completely relaxed. I stopped shivering, and was overcome with a sense of warmness. Snuggling up closer, I closed my eyes. His skin was warm against my cheek, and his heart thumped against my hand. Never wanting to leave this spot, never wanting to lose this moment, I tried to fight sleep. That seemed impossible with him holding me.

* * *

"Wake up." Daryl's voice was ringing in my ears. I felt him shaking me. I lifted my head, one eye open.

"Already?" I mumbled. I saw the corners of his lips tug upward slightly.

"Get up girl. Time to eat." Daryl snaked his arm out from underneath my head. I sat up, and looked at him.

"I'll bring ya a plate." I said, letting out a yawn.

"No, I'm comin' outta the tent." Daryl demanded. I glared at him.

"You shouldn't. But I know ya ain't gonna listen to me." I scratched my head and stood up. "I'm starvin'." As if to back that up, my stomach growled. I offered a sheepish grin, looking back at him.

"What?" He growled.

"Need help?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, teasing.

"No." Daryl sneered at me. I surpressed a giggle, as I walked out of the tent. I walked quietly around the RV, not seeing anyone. I grinned. I had made it out of Daryl's tent without being spotted.

"Hello, Spencer." Dale's voice ruined my theory. I felt my shoulders sag slightly.

"Hey Dale." I mumbled, feeling like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Wanna come up?" Dale asked. I looked up at the roof of the RV.

"Sure." I nodded, and climbed up the ladder. I sat down, giving Dale a light smile. "Sleep good?"

"The better question is, did _you_ sleep good?" Dale asked, and I smacked my hand to my forehead.

"Saw that, huh?" I could feel myself blushing slightly.

"I did." Dale nodded. "I thought you said nothing was going on with you two."

"Nothin' is. I only slept in his tent 'cause I can't sleep in mine. Too crowded, too hot. He offered to let me sleep in his. I took 'em up on it. Not so lonely either..." I trailed off, watching as Daryl emerged from his tent.

"I understand, Spencer." Dale said, but there was something in his voice.

"There really is nothin' to it. Jus' two people, sharin' a tent." I tried to sound convincing.

"Uh huh." Dale looked out at the field.

"Oh, I give up! _DAD_." I huffed, trying not to grin. Dale cracked up into laughter as I stood up, and climbed down the ladder. When my feet hit the ground, I realized I had never once called anyone dad, not even my own father. I glanced back up at the RV. Dale was one of a kind and I felt honored to call him Dad.

The smell of eggs pulled me from my thoughts, and I saw Daryl sitting in a chair. I sat on the ground nearby, and watched my surroundings. Andrea was sharpening her knife. Lori was whispering to Rick. Everyone was quiet, even Carol as she cooked the eggs. I caught Glenn look over to Hershel's porch, seeing Maggie standing on it.

Dale had come down from the RV to eat breakfast. I gave Carol a smile and a "thank you", as she scooped eggs on my plate. I began to eat, closing my eyes at the taste of food. Man, I was so grateful for the chickens running around out here. Usually, they annoyed me, but not today. Today, I wanted to pick one up and kiss it.

I noticed Glenn and Dale staring at each other, sharing a nod. Curious, I watched Glenn from the corner of my eye. He stood up and walked closer to where we all were sitting. He had his hands in his pockets, and he looked oddly nervous. When he began to speak, I listened, looking up at him.

"Um, guys?" Glenn rubbed his chin nervously. Everyone began looking up at him, waiting for him to speak. "So.. The barn's full of walkers." I stopped chewing, and noticed Daryl do the same. He had a forkfull of eggs, just hovering over his plate.

It seemed like the whole group went to inspect the barn. Sure enough, there were walkers inside. The whole group began going into a panic. Rick was trying to diffuse the situation, but Shane was riled up and making it worse. He wanted to clear out the barn, or leave now. Carol began getting upset, and Shane only made it worse.

"We're close to findin' this girl, I jus' found'er damn doll a few days ago." Daryl stepped in. Shane began laughing.

"You found her doll, Daryl. That's what you did, you found a doll!" Shane argued.

"Ya dunno what the hell you're talkin' 'bout!" Daryl growled.

"Hey, look! I'm jus' sayin' what needs to be said, here. Now, you get get a good lead in the first forty-eight hours.." Rick yelled at him drowning out his words. "Let me tell you somethin' else man, if she was alive out there, saw you comin' all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck, she would run in the other direction, man!" Shane said. I was in shock at his words.

Daryl lunged at Shane trying to get past Rick, who stepped in between them. Dale tried to speak for Hershel's behalf, and when Shane kept yelling, the walkers in the barn began to shove against the door. I jerked my head over at Shane and glared.

"Great goin'." I huffed, and he just glared back at me. Rick decided he would talk to Hershel, and until then, watch duty would be set up at the barn. When everyone cleared out, I stayed behind, watching Shane. I marched up to him and stood directly in front of him.

"Word of advice?" I spat. "Don't you ever talk 'bout Dixon like that 'gain, got it? Don't take me for a girl who won't kill you in your sleep."

"You threatenin' me?" Shane stepped closer to me.

"Think that ship sailed. I promise what I jus' said." I growled, and suddenly, I felt a hand grab my arm. I jerked my head, my eyes looking right into Daryl's. He said nothing, only pulled me away from Shane, both of us still glaring at each other.

* * *

**I'm glad that Daryl's scars were brought up. I did mention them briefly in this chapter, but I didn't want to replay the Carol/Daryl scene where she looks at his scars, with Spencer actually making it known that she saw them... She did, but there is going to be a big moment where she does see his scars (the ones on his back), and he may or may not tell her about them, we'll just have to see ! I really enjoyed this chapter, more Daryl/Spencer cuteness. Yes ,Spencer's parents were bad news, and she didn't have it so easy. But yall will find out more and more about her parents and why things were so hard for her and Sam. I hope yall enjoyed this, and I will update again asap. REVIEWS ARE AWESOME and GREATLY APPRECIATED !**

**~Kaila G.**


	17. Chapter 17

"Don't be fightin' my battles!" Daryl growled as he pulled me away. I looked at him, more hurt at the intense anger in his voice than anything. That hurt quickly turned into anger.

"It wasn't jus' 'cause it was you!" I spat. "Woulda done it for anyone else Shane treated like that!"

"Jus' keep ya nose where it belongs." Daryl's voice was harsh.

"Fine!" I hollered at him as he walked away. "I will!" I picked up a hand full of dirt, flinging it at him. Of course, it just sprayed to the ground, not even close to where he was standing. Giving me a snort, he walked off.

Angry, I stormed away back toward the camp area. What was his problem? I understood that looking for Sophia had been hard on everyone, including Daryl. It seemed to affect him the most, but still that gave him no reason to take it out on the people that cared about him. _Jus' two people, sharin' a tent._ I remembered the words that I had said to Dale. _That's all we are, an' all we'll ever be, _I lied to myself.

"Chy! Come over here!" I called to her. She came bounding up, blue eyes full of excitement. Unfortunately, she had witnessed the episode at the barn, not with Shane and I, but with the whole group. The adrenaline of everyone else had rubbed off on her. The child couldn't sit still!

"What I gotta do?" Cheyenne grinned up at me.

"Sit." I pointed to where Carl and Lori were sitting. "I wrote ya up some words, ya need study time."

"Awwwl, but Spencerrrr!" Cheyenne whined.

"Chy," I said sternly, for I was not in the mood to argue.

"Okay." She mumbled, taking a seat.

"Good." I looked at Lori, who handed me a pencil. "Thanks."

"Yea." She smiled and looked back at Carl. I fetched the piece of paper from my tent and wrote down twenty words for Cheyenne to copy. I'd test her on them later, see how much she actually paid attention. Then, I wrote down a few simple math problems. Cheyenne was smart for a five year old. I wanted to keep that brain flowing.

"Does Shane think Sophia's dead?" Carl's voice suddenly broke through my thoughts.

"Shane's just scared." Lori said quietly, and I turned away rolling my eyes.

"Of the walkers in the barn?" Carl asked.

"Yea." Lori replied.

"Mom... I'm not leaving until we find Sophia. And.. I don't wanna go. Even after that." Carl said.

"Well, we're not leavin' Carl." Lori said back. "Now finish those problems."

"We're gonna find her." I gave Carl a weak smile, before looking back down at Cheyenne's spelling words.

"I jus' think she... She's gonna like it here." Carl said, and I could hear it in his voice how badly he wanted us to find her. "This place, it could be a home." Lori wrapped her arms around Carl, hugging him. I looked back down at Cheyenne, and thought of Sophia.

When I had first met the group on the road, Sophia had been timid, a child of abuse. I had read her like a book from the start. I knew what it felt like to watch your mother get hit, and to be hit as well. The only difference between Sophia and I, was that her mother didn't stoop to that level and abuse Sophia as well.

But after Ed had died, Sophia had been more... Happy. It might sound wrong, but really it wasn't. After all that time, the man who had put his hurtful hand on her mother, was gone. Sophia would never have to watch Ed hit her mother again. Sophia would never have to hear him yell again. Sophia was free, and it showed.

The child had opened up, especially at the CDC. She had talked more, and laughed more, even laughing at the things the adults said. Before Ed died, she wasn't even allowed to join in adult conversation, much less show interest in anyone else besides Ed or Carol. Just when she had gotten away from one horror, the world threw her into another one.

I had faith, though. I had faith that we'd find her. That Daryl would find her. He could do it, if no one else in the world could, Daryl could. I thought about it quite often, I had even dreamed about it once. Daryl coming out of the woods, Sophia beside him. Dirty and scared, but alive. When she saw the group, her mother... Her little face lit up and she ran to Carol... Yes, we were going to find her.

Something caught my eye, and I saw Daryl walking into the stables. I had to strain my eyes to make sure I was right, and I was. He disappeared inside, and I watched as Carol charged in there after him. I felt a small pang of jealousy, and immediately felt guilty about it. Feeling a tug on my shirt, I looked down to see Cheyenne was done with her spelling words and math problems.

"Ya can go play now. Stay away from the barn, an' stay close to the house, got it?" I warned.

"Got it!" Cheyenne grinned and looked at Carl, who was just finishing his last math problem. "C'mon Carl!"

"Coming!" He shut the book, and ran with Cheyenne toward Hershel's house. Beth had been a savior, always finding games inside to keep Carl and Cheyenne busy. It helped to have someone around that didn't mind keeping the kids entertained while us older ones had to deal with the shit.

I saw Daryl come out of the barn in a huff, so I decided now would not be the best time to try and smooth things over. Looking over, I noticed Rick and Andrea mapping out areas on the hood of a truck, so I walked over giving them a forced smile. Rick looked up, nodding and Andrea smiled back.

"Guy's goin' to look for Sophia?" I asked.

"We are." Rick nodded again.

"Can I come?" I looked at Andrea.

"Of course. We could use the extra pair of eyes." Rick agreed, and Andrea nodded.

"I think it's a great idea." Andrea said, and I could hear the sincerity in her voice. Stepping up beside Rick, I watched as he pointed to the map.

"Also shows she could've been movin' this way, south. If Sophia kept in that direction, she could've gotten outta the forest, and into the farmland..." I lost Rick when I saw Hershel coming up, a serious look on his face. He nodded to me. I smiled.

"Rick!" Hershel called, walking up behind him.

"Hershel.." Rick turned around to greet him. "We just have our guns out because we're gonna go look for Sophia."

"Before you do that, I could use your help with something." Hershel said.

"Count me in." Andrea said surely.

"Me too." I piped up, interested.

"Thank you, both. But I just need Rick." Hershel said, looking at him. Rick looked at Andrea.

"I'll be down at the barn keeping watch until you're ready." Andrea said.

"If ya change ya mind..." I trailed off looking at Hershel. He nodded and motioned for Rick to follow him. Once they were farther away, I turned to Andrea. "What ya think that's all 'bout?"

"There's no telling." Andrea laughed.

"Yea..." I trailed off. Walking away, I decided to go to my tent and grab all of Shay and Cheyenne's dirty clothes. I grabbed mine as well, and then stalked off to Daryl's tent. He wasn't inside, so I ducked in and grabbed his dirty clothes. As I stepped back out, I was met with angry blue eyes.

"Didn't say ya could go in there." Daryl was standing close to me, his face only inches from mine.

"Didn't ask, now did I?" I sneered at him, walking away.

"Spencer." I heard my name, and I turned back around, ready for some type of apology. Instead, he threw a plaid shirt at me. "Forgot one." He said with a smart ass tone.

"Ughhhh!" I bent down, picking up the shirt, and stormed off. Once I reached the water, I scrubbed the laundry furiously. Only when I my hands began to feel raw, did I stop. Gathering the wet clothes, I walked back over to our camp area, and began hanging up the wet clothes.

I pinned the clothes quickly, my mind in a thousand places. After they were all pinned, I jogged toward Hershel's house. I could see Patricia, Beth, Shay, Carl, and Cheyenne sitting around a small table, playing a game. Maggie and Glenn gave me two silly grins as I jogged up.

"You look like you should be in line for an early bird special." Maggie teased Glenn, who was wearing Dale's hat. She took it off his head. "Go get your cap, I'll wash it for you, okay?" I smiled, sitting on the steps beside them. Glenn stood, and I saw T-Dog and Andrea walking up quickly.

"Do you know what's goin' on?" T-Dog asked as they walked closer.

"Where is everyone?" Andrea asked.

"You haven't seen Rick?" Glenn threw in his own question.

"He went off with Hershel, we were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago." Andrea explained.

"He ain't back yet?" I looked at Andrea. She shook her head.

"There you were. What the hell?" Daryl came strutting up, Carol behind him.

"Rick told us he was going out." Carol said.

"Dammit, is anybody takin' this seriously?" Daryl growled. "We got us a damn trail! Ah, here we go." Daryl said as Shane walked up. Daryl took a few steps toward him and stopped. I saw Shane was carrying the bag of guns... "What's all this?"

"You with me, man?" Shane asked, handing Daryl a gun.

"Yea." Daryl said quietly, and his voice sounded as if he really didn't know what else to say.

"Time to grow up! You already got yours?" Shane looked at Andrea.

"Yea, b-but where's Dale?" She asked.

"He's on his way." Shane grumbled.

"Thought we couldn't carry." T-Dog looked at Shane as he took the gun Shane handed him.

"We can and we have to." Shane looked at me. "Got your piece?" I nodded, feeling dread seep into my mind. My hands felt sweaty, and I suddenly felt nervous.

"I got it." I said.

"Now look, it was one thing standin' 'round here pickin' daisies when we thought this place was s'posed to be safe. But now we know it ain't." Shane grabbed a gun and thrusted it at Glenn. "How 'bout you, man? You gone protect yours?" Glenn grabbed the gun. Shane looked at Maggie. "That's it. Can you shoot?"

"Can you stop?" Maggie countered, anger and fear thick in her voice. "If you do this, if you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight."

"We have to stay Shane." Carl said firmly.

"What is this?" Lori demanded, walking around from the side of the porch.

"We ain't goin' anywhere, okay? Now look, Hershel... He's jus' gotta understand, okay. He, well he's gonna have to. And we need to find Sophia, am I right, huh?" Shane knelt down in front of Carl, holding out a hand gun. "Now I want you to take this. You take it, Carl and you keep your mother safe. You do whatever it takes, you know how. Now go on and take the gun. Do it."

"Rick said no guns." Lori gently shoved Carl away from Shane. "This is not your call. This is not your decision to make!"

"Oh, shit!" T-Dog said. I looked over to see Rick and Hershel, guiding two walkers out of the woods. They had them secured with snare poles, walking them toward the barn. Shane took off, mumbling, and I turned to Cheyenne.

"STAY!" I ordered, running behind the group that followed. Andrea, T-Dog, Maggie, Glenn, Darl, and myself ran towards Rick and Hershel. Of course, no one listened, and the others ran down as well.

"MAN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN'?" Shane yelled at Rick.

"Shane just back off!" Rick warned.

"Why do your people have guns?" Hershel demanded.

"Are you KIDDIN' me? You see? You see what they're holdin' on to?" Shane circled them.

"I see _who_ I'm holding on to!" Hershel argued.

"Nah, man. You don't!" Shane kept going.

"Shane, just let us through, then we can talk." Rick ordered.

"What you wanna talk 'bout Rick? These things ain't sick! They're not people! They're dead! Ain't gotta feel nothin' for 'em, 'cause all they do, they kill! These things right here. They're the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis! They gonna kill all of us, less we do somethin'-" Shane was on a rant.

"SHANE SHUT UP!" Rick yelled. I saw Daryl holding his gun aimed at the walkers, and I began to fear the worst when Shane spoke again.

"Hey, Hershel, man. Let me ask you somethin'." Shane pulled out his gun and aimed it at the walker. "Could a livin', breathin, person... Could they walk away from this?" He shot the walker in the lower chest. Cheyenne ran over to me, and I grabbed her.

"STOP IT!" Rick shouted.

"Three rounds to the chest! Could someone who was alive, could they jus' take that? Why's he still comin'?" Shane raised the gun, firing again. "That's its heart, its lung. Why's it still comin'?" He raised the gun, firing again.

"STOP!" I screamed, holding onto Cheyenne.

"SHANE, ENOUGH!" Rick screamed.

"Yea, you're right man," Shane said walking forward, "that is enough." With that said, he shot the walker in the head. I watched as Hershel fell to the ground. "ENOUGH! Riskin' our life for a little girl who's GONE! ENOUGH! Livin' next to a barn full of things that are tryin' to kill us. Enough! Rick, it ain't like it was before! Now if you wanna live, if you wanna survive, you gotta fight for it! I'm talkin 'bout fight, right here, right now!" Shane ran toward the barn.

Rick began begging Hershel to take the snared walker, but he just sat there, not moving. No one tried to help Rick, so I ran forward, going for Shane. I felt an arm wrap around my waist, swinging me off the ground. Daryl had me, his grip firm. His head was close to mine.

"He's in'a rage girl, no." Daryl whispered, and let me go. I watched in horror as Shane began hacking away at the chain. Glenn and Maggie were screaming, and then the chain was off the door. Shane pounded on it, stepping back. Maggie was beside Hershel, crying. I looked up when the barn doors creaked, seeing the first walker step out of the shadows. I stepped in front of Cheyenne, and pulled my gun from my waist band.

Andrea and T-Dog ran up when the other walkers began stumbling out, followed by Daryl. Guns were firing, the sound like thunder rolling in my ears. I heard Glenn's pleading voice as he said Maggie's name. She told him to go, and I looked at her. She nodded, and I turned to Cheyenne.

"Close ya ears!" I called down to her. She stood directly behind me, ears covered. I looked back to the barn, and began firing at the walkers. I saw Shane turn and shoot the walker Rick had on the snare. Rick was ordering Lori to stay back, as the rest of us kept shooting. I stopped firing when the last walker appeared. It went down, and then everything was quiet. Still.

Everyone began lowering their guns, and I looked at the mass of dead walkers on the ground before us. Footsteps caught my attention, and I turned my head to see Dale. But the hiss of a walker made me snap my head back at the barn. Guns raised. Then it appeared, and my heart stopped.

Her head was down, fighting the glare of the sunlight, but there was no mistaking who it was. She looked up, and I saw the cloudy, dead eyes staring back at us. A bite wound was on the side of her neck, and blood surrounded the wound. The rest of her looked untouched, almost alive. Just those cloudy eyes told a different story.

"Oh, God... Oh... Sophia!" Carol cried out, and it was painful to hear. I felt my legs buckle, and I just sat on the ground, watching as Daryl grabbed Carol. "Sophia! Sophia...Sophia..." She kept calling out to her.

I pulled a crying Cheyenne into my lap, and glanced over to see Carl crying against Lori. Sophia kept stumbling forward, hissing and snarling. It was so unreal, it had to be a bad dream. I squeezed my eyes shut, and opened them. Nothing had changed. Sophia still came stumbling forward.

No one moved as she made her way over the dead walkers. She was so tiny... Shane just stood there, not saying a word. Sophia only made her way closer to us, and I watched in horror, not ready for what was coming. I watched as Rick walked forward, closer to Sophia, and lifted his gun.

"Don't look, Chy." I whispered, burying her head against my chest. I looked over at Carl, who was crying. Watching. Cheyenne sobbed against my chest.

"Sophia!" I heard her whimper, releasing another sob. I looked up, seeing Rick pull the trigger. The gun shot was loud in my ears, as Sophia dropped to the ground. Carol's cries echoed in my ears.

* * *

**Okay, so that's ch. 17 ! Yes, Sophia was in the barn :( sad day ! But things are going to get better eventually and a lot of things are going to happen soon ! I am ready for the upcoming chapters and to make 'em crazy as mess ! I know this one was little short, and yea Daryl's being stubborn, but he saved Spencer from possibly getting hurt by Shane. So that's a plus... Anyway, REVIEWS are GREATLY APPRECIATED ! Yall are AWESOME !**

**~Kaila G. **


	18. Chapter 18

Carol's cries were still rushing into my ears. Looking straight ahead, I could see Sophia's lifeless body lying on the ground, blood pooling by her head. Keeping one hand on Cheyenne's face, I tried to stand. I failed, and just stayed there, sitting in the dirt. Holding Cheyenne close to me. She was still crying, and I could feel my own tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Don't look. Don't look." I heard Daryl say as he picked Carol up from the ground. Once he got her to her feet, she snatched away from him, jogging off to the RV. Everything felt like tunnel vision, and I began to wonder if I really was dreaming. Beth was crying, she broke away from Jimmy and walked quickly toward the dead walkers on the ground.

"Shh, wait, wait, wait!" Rick tried to stop her, but she dodged him with ease. Beth rolled a walker away from a female corpse as she cried.

"Mom.." I could hear her say as she sat down in front of the body. Suddenly, the walker stirred and grabbed Beth. Everyone seemed to rush over at once, grabbing Beth and shoving the walker away from her before Andrea killed it.

I barely even noticed when Shay came over, picking Cheyenne up. I could hear Shay saying my name, but I didn't even look up. I just kept staring at the barn. _Why? Why... How could God play such'a cruel trick? All along, all the searchin' an' prayin', the pain an' sufferin'. An' here she was all along. All along, jus' walkin' 'round lifeless, wonderin' when she would get'er hands on the next meal. Why? _I asked myself. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I took no notice in the others walking back toward the house.

I did take notice, however, when a very familiar presence hovered over me. I shut my eyes, trying to stop the sob threatening to escape. When I opened my eyes again, Daryl was kneeling in front of me. For some reason, the only picture I could see in my head was the barn. Sophia, dead.

"Lookin' right through me, girl." Daryl said, reaching out and grabbing my hand. He stood, and pulled me to my feet. I looked up at him, watching his eyes as they searched mine.

"She's gone." I said simply. I heard nothing in my voice, it just sounded blank. Blank and empty.

"Yea.." Daryl kept his eyes on mine.

"All that time..." I trailed off getting angry. "All that fuckin' time, an' she was right here. Right here. In the stupid barn full'a walkers. Wastin' time runnin' through the woods, runnin'..circles 'round each other. Carl gets shot, you get an arrow in ya side. Shot in the HEAD. Givin' Carol all that false hope, an' for what? Jus' to find Sophia dead in a barn, that we been sleepin' next to!"

"Wasn't time wasted!" Daryl growled.

"She didn't deserve it." I said quietly. "All the shit she went through, an' Ed finally gets what he deserved. She was free, Daryl! She was free! Then this." I looked away as fresh tears spilled from my eyes.

"Stop." Daryl demanded softly, using his thumb to wipe away my tears. I shook my head softly, looking into his eyes as he brushed away the tears.

"How?" I whispered. Daryl just stared at me, before placing his hand on the nape of my neck.

"Imma go check on Carol, ya gonna be aight?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Go. Make sure she's okay." I said, and his hand was gone, as he walked off toward the RV. I walked over to Andrea, feeling oddly calm. "What can I do?"

"Help us dig?" Andrea asked, her voice quiet. I said nothing, just turned and grabbed a shovel from T-Dog, following him to the trees.

"Lori said here." T-Dog mumbled, and I clunked my chovel against the ground, smashing it further into the dirt with my boot. I lost my sense of time as I kept shoveling dirt, feeling myself sink lower and lower into the hole. Shane, Andrea, T-Dog, and Glenn all offered to take my shovel and help me, but I declined. Insisted to keep digging.

Slamming the shovel into the fresh dirt, I stomped again and again. Slam and stomp, shovel dirt over the side of the hole. I kept going quickly, repeating the process over and over. Every time I slammed the shovel into the dirt, I did so with such force that it jolted my arm.

"Here." Daryl's voice caught my attention, and I looked up. He had his hand held out, clearly wanting my shovel. Shaking my head, I kept digging into the ground. Daryl hopped down into the hole with me, gently taking the shovel from me. Climbing out of the hole, I sat on the edge, just watching him dig.

We said nothing, but it was a comforting silence. I just sat, watching him dig deeper and deeper into the hole. I couldn't imagine what was going through Carol's head right now. I didn't want to imagine. If it had been Cheyenne... It would have killed me.

Daryl climbed out of the hole, and walked over to Sophia's body. I watched, fighting tears, as he picked her up slowly. The way he had picked her up off the ground, had been the most gentle I had ever seen him with anything. Daryl walked slowly to the grave, laying Sophia down, before jumping into the hole. He grabbed her gently, and pulled her body into the hole, into his arms. Gently laying her on the floor of the grave, he stood back up, and pushed himself up and out of the hole. I watched as he walked back to the RV in silence.

Grabbing the shovel, I began to scoop the dirt over Sophia's body. _Why am I doin' this? Why's it gotta be me?_ I asked myself, as I watched her disappear under the dirt. Her shoes were gone, then up to her knees. I kept shoveling dirt into the hole. Her stomach was being covered, as I kept shoveling. Once her chest was no longer visible, I braced myself, and began shoveling dirt over her face.

I watched in silence as the tip of her nose disappeared. Without missing a beat, I kept shoveling the dirt until the grave was completely filled, and then some. Letting the shovel fall, I watched as Lori walked to the RV, stepping inside. A few moments later, she returned without Carol, but Daryl was following behind.

Shay walked out with Cheyenne, who ran to me, arms open. I picked her up, setting her on my hip. Daryl stood close to Cheyenne and I, and it gave me some comfort as I listened to Hershel proceed with the funeral sermon. He didn't say much, and something inside of me was glad he didn't.

Shortly after everyone dispersed, Hershel disappeared. Rick and Glenn trotted off to save the day, and I worried for them both. Cheyenne fell asleep early, and I decided to try and find Daryl. Walking up to where he had moved his tent, I heard voices.

"What's the matter with you? Why would you be so selfish?" I heard Lori ask.

"Selfish? Listen'a me Olive Oyl! I was out there lookin' for that 'lil girl every single day! I took a bullet an' an arrow in the process, don't ya tell me 'bout gettin' my hands dirty!" Daryl voice was risen to a near yell. "You want those two idiots? Have'a nice ride. I'm done lookin' for people." I came around the corner as she walked off, seeing Daryl look up at her as she walked away.

"Harsh much?" I mumbled, walking over to him. He snapped his head up at me,

"No, truthful much." Daryl snapped, and I threw my hands up.

"I ain't come up here to fight." I said quietly. "Lori's a bitch at times, but Rick an' Glenn ain't at fault for her mistakes."

"What ya want?" Daryl huffed, looking up at me. Anger and hurt seemed to swirl in his blue eyes.

"To talk." I whispered, sitting beside him. He jumped up, away from me.

"Ain't nothin' to talk 'bout!" He spat. I sighed and tried not to glare.

"Fine, if that's what ya want..." I trailed off and walked away. I didn't even look back, my mind screaming at me not to. Walking closer to the farm, I veered off and found myself at Hershel's pond. I sat down, watching the sun set, the water glistening under the hues of colors. I did the only thing I knew would help me calm myself down. Make me think about something else for a while.

"What ravages of spirit, conjured this temptuous rage? Created you a monster, broken by the rules of love," I sang softly, staring out into the water. "An' fate has led you through it, you do what you have to do. And fate has led you through it, you do what you have to do. An' I have the sense, to recognize, that I don't know how to let you go... Every moment marked, with apparitions of your soul.." A footstep made me jerk around. Daryl.

"How long you been standin' there?" I asked.

"Not long." Daryl said. I just stared at him, and he looked down before walking toward me. Sitting down beside me, he looked out at the pond.

"Beautiful ain't it?" I asked, looking at the array of purples, pinks, and oranges scattered through the clouds across the sky. Daryl shook his head, but still said nothing. I turned my head to look at him, and his eyes met mine. I could see a hint of green in all of that blue, as he stared back at me. "What do we do now?"

"Dunno." Daryl's answer was gruff, but not harsh.

"I had to shovel dirt over her face." I said quietly.

"Stop." Daryl said gently. I scooted closer to him, and was shocked when he put his arm around my shoulders. We sat that way, still and unmoving until darkness settled in. He then stood, taking my hand and pulling me up. I walked beside him and trailed off to the house. Once inside, I found Shay.

"Cheyenne still sleep?" I asked, hovering in the front doorway.

"She woke up and ate, but then fell back asleep. Maggie is letting her sleep on the couch tonight." Shay explained.

"Wow... Honestly didn't think they'd be much in'a helpin' out mood after what Shane did." I admitted. "Imma go back outside, I guess."

"Where'd you go today, Spencer?" Shay asked quietly, before I turned to leave. I stopped and looked at her.

"What ya mean?" I questioned, putting a hand on the door frame.

"After... After Sophia. I tried to get you up, but you just sat there with this blank look on your face." Shay kept her eyes on mine.

"Dunno... Jus' wondered why, is all." I replied, and then I turned and walked away from the door. Walking quietly, I reached Daryl's tent. He was sitting outside of it, fiddling around with the fire. I walked by him and touched his shoulder gently. He flinched at my touch, but never looked up. Letting my hand slide off of his shoulder, I walked over to the tent and ducked inside.

I sat down, leaning against my sleeping bag. Looking up at the top of the tent, I began to think about Rick and Glenn. Truthfully, I was concerned. They should have been back by now. It couldn't take this long to make a run into town and retrieve Hershel. Unless something went wrong. Still thinking about the situation, I heard footsteps coming closer, followed by Carol's voice.

"We can't find Lori... And the others aren't back yet either." Carol said, catching her breath.

"At dumb bitch must'a gone off lookin' for 'em." Daryl said quietly.

"What?" Carol asked.

"Yea, she asked me to go. Told'er I was done bein' an errand boy." Daryl said. I sat still, just listening.

"And you didn't say anything?" Carol's voice rose to a slight panic. Daryl said nothing, and I heard Carol's footsteps, as she was about to walk past the tent. But instead, she stopped, and I heard her walking back toward Daryl. "Don't do this. Please. I've already lost my girl."

"Yea? That wasn't my problem neither." Daryl spat, and I heard him walking closer. His hand yanked the flap of the tent open as he ducked inside. Sitting down across from me, we just sat in silence.

"She's worried 'bout ya." I spoke quietly.

"No need to be." Daryl grunted.

"I do, too." I said before I could think. Daryl just looked at me, and then I heard the noise of a car. Speeding off.

"Shane, prolly." Daryl nodded. "Goin' to look for Olive Oyl."

"What she did was stupid." I mused. "Kinda shocked, actually, that she even went out there on'er own."

"She done a lot of stupid." Daryl mumbled, and I agreed silently.

"She's pregnant." I nearly whispered, looking away from his face. I glanced back at him, and his face showed slight shock, before the shock disappeared with a knowing look.

"Figured. Saw'er thowin' up her breakfast the last couple of days." Daryl said.

"What if it's Shane's?" I asked, looking at the floor of the tent.

"So? Not my business." Daryl snorted and I whipped my head up, glaring at him.

"Look at him, Daryl. Wreckless, stupid. A danger to everyone, if ya want my opinion. He's gonna have it planted in his head that Lori's baby's his. Cause problems." I explained. Daryl was quiet, only shaking his head. Deciding to lay down, I turned my head when Daryl unzipped the tent flap and stepped out. I sat up. "Where you goin'?"

"Calm down, girl. Jus' gonna check 'round. Make sure everything's quiet." Daryl growled, and I nodded my head sleepily. Laying back down, I heard him zip up the tent, and his footsteps walked away. I closed my eyes, feeling drowsy, when suddenly I heard something. I opened my eyes, listening. More footsteps, but not Daryl's. They came toward the tent, then away from it.

"What'er you doin'?" I heard Daryl's voice, and he sounded annoyed.

"Keepin' an eye on you." Carol, again.

"Ain't you a peach." Daryl's voice sneered.

"I'm not gonna let you pull away." Carol said firmly. "You've earned your place."

"If you spent half ya time, mindin' ya daughter's business, instead of stickin' ya nose in everybody else's, she'd still be alive!" Daryl's voice was angry.

"Go 'head." Carol's voice sounded calm.

"Go 'head an' what?" Daryl asked, before raising his voice. "Man, jus' go! I don't want you here! You're a real piece of work, lady. What, ya gonna make this 'bout my daddy, or some crap like that? Pfft. Man, you dunno jack. You're afraid. You're afraid 'cause you're all alone! You got no husband, no daughter. You dunno what to do with ya self. An' you ain't my problem! SOPHIA WASN'T MINE! ALL YA HAD TO DO WAS KEEP AN EYE ON'ER!" I sat up, ready to go out there if needed. But everything was quiet, and then I heard Daryl coming back to the tent. Ducking inside, he stared at me blankly for a moment, then the cold crept into his eyes.

"Thought you were asleep." He huffed.

"Never made it. Carol's loud ass footsteps snapped me 'wake." I mumbled. Whatever Daryl was about to say, the sound of a car rolling up the dirt road stopped him. Peeking my head out of the tent, I squinted through the darkness to see everyone standing in front of a vehicle as Shane and Lori stepped out. I could hear their voices faintly, and ducked my head back into the tent, zipping the flap back up. "Shane an' Lori's back."

"Go to sleep." Daryl mumbled, and I rolled over to face him.

"Awake now." I announced, staring at him.

"Well, go to sleep." He growled.

"I'd rather talk." I said quietly. When he didn't say anything, I spoke again. "Ya know, my mother married my father for the money. That's how she was raised. Good 'ol southern money is what my grandparents directed her towards. She wasn't always such a bitch. She hadn't always hit on me. My father, on the other hand, piece of trash. My mother slowly turned into him, became his shadow. She became hateful, spiteful, toward my father. Took it out on Sam and me..."

"What happened to 'em?" Daryl asked.

"Hopefully they're burnin' in hell." I said coldly. Daryl rolled on his side, staring at me. He propped up on one elbow.

"Not ya parents. Ya brother." Daryl said.

"Oh... Sam. I... I dunno. When the outbreak happened, didn't have time to contact anyone. Jus' had to go. Dunno where he's at, or if he even made it at all." I admitted quietly. I decided to change the subject. "Do ya think Rick an' Glenn'er okay?" Daryl shrugged, still staring at me.

"If they ain't back by tomorrow, I'll go lookin' for 'em." Daryl said.

"I wanna go." I said, feeling sleepy again. I yawned.

"Sleep." Daryl mumbled, and I nodded, rolling over, away from him.

"Daryl?" I whispered.

"Hm?" He grunted.

"Will you hold me?" I asked quietly, expecting him to either leave the tent, or say no. Daryl didn't answer me, but I felt him move toward me. His arm came around my side, his hand against my stomach. Pulling me closer to him, I felt his breath tickle across the back of my neck. I shivered slightly, causing him to tighten his grip.

His body was tense, even his arm. I could tell he wasn't used to this type of stuff, and honestly, neither was I. Growing up hadn't been much fun for me, and I had never experienced things most teenagers did. I had been more concerned with keeping myself alive and trying to get out on my own at eighteen. Never had time to date or have flings, so I didn't really know what to expect.

I closed my eyes, relaxing against him, and I could feel his own body relaxing as well. It was slow, but he was beginning to feel less tense. His arm was still holding me tight, as we layed there, pressed against each other. I could feel his breath against my neck, as I drifted off into a dark, dreamless sleep.

* * *

I awoke to Daryl hovering over me. The sunshine was seeping through the open flap of the tent, and Daryl's eyes were bright in the light of the sun. For a moment, I lost myself in those blue eyes, and he smirked down at me. I grinned, stretching. As I sat up, he backed away some, watching me.

"Rick an' Glenn back?" I asked.

"No. Goin' to get 'em." Daryl replied, studying my face. I stood up and started to step out of the tent. As soon as I ducked out, Shane was right in front of me. I stepped back, bumping into Daryl, who was stepping out of the tent.

"Spencer." Shane nodded, looking at us strangely. The look disappeared, and he looked at Daryl. "You ready?"

"Yea." Daryl said simply, and I walked down toward the RV with them. Once down to the camp area, Shane pulled a shot gun from the back of one of the vehicles, handing it to Daryl. I watched as he pumped the shot gun, and began preparing to leave. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dale and Andrea talking, Andrea looking very annoyed. She came walking towards us.

"Guys.." She trailed off when a vehicle was heard coming up the dirt driveway. I looked up to see the vehicle Rick had taken to go find Hershel, speeding up the dirt road.

"Oh, thank God." I mumbled. Daryl and I began walking toward where Rick would park. Looking up, I saw more than three passengers, and a familiar face caught mine. I stopped, frozen in my tracks. My brain was screaming at me, and Daryl was staring at me as if I were crazy. "Oh my God..." I breathed as one of the back car doors swung open, and I saw him. He immediately stopped, looking at me.

"Spencer?" His voice held so much disbelief.

"SAM! SAM!" I screamed, running toward him. We collided in hug, and I couldn't fight the tears. Everyone was looking at us questioningly, except Daryl.

"SAMMMM!" I heard Cheyenne, and Sam stepped back from me as Cheyenne ran over to us, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You're alive? Both of you? How?" Sam asked.

"Yes! An' Shay! Look 'round, these people. Been with 'em since the outbreak." I explained hurriedly.

"Shay?" Sam smiled.

"Yea." I walked over to Rick, who had just let go of Lori. "Thank you." I whispered, hugging him. Then I saw her. She came around the side of the car, staring at me. I stepped back from Rick, my smile turning into a frown. Standing in front of me, was my mother.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery." I heard Hershel's voice. Rick and Lori began whispering about Lori's car accident, when T-Dog spoke up.

"Who the hell is that?" He asked, and I unlocked eyes with my mother to see what he was talking about. There was a young guy in the back of the vehicle.

"That's Randall." Glenn said. Everyone walked over, staring at the guy. I looked at Rick.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Got shot at, the kid fell from a roof, and the fence went through his leg." Rick replied.

"We were hidin' out in one of the store's basements. Been there 'bout a week." Sam spoke up. "Heard the noise outside, went to see what was goin' on, found them."

"So you don't know the kid?" Andrea asked, looking back at Randall.

"No, never seen him before." Sam shook his head. "How'd you get away?" Sam was looking at me.

"Jus' took Shay an' Chy an' ran for it. Drove to the city, thinkin' we'd find help. Instead I found a group, some still here, others not..." I looked around and then back at Sam. "Everyone, this is my brother Sam." I announced.

"An' this is our mother, Katherine." Sam spoke up. I glared at him, and he looked at me questioningly.

"Sam?" I asked, "Talk?" I nodded my head away from the group.

"Okay." Sam said, following me out of earshot.

"What the hell's she doin' with you?" I blurted out in a growl.

"Spencer, she's our mother. Couldn't jus' leave her." Sam argued, but his tone was calm.

"I sure as hell could! Don't want her here." I shook my head. "Is he alive?"

"Honestly, I dunno. He took off." Sam said quietly.

"I hope he got torn into 'lil pieces." I shook my head. "An' I hope he's burnin' in hell."

"Spencer, stop." Sam tried to touch my arm.

"DON'T TELL ME TO STOP!" I yelled, jerking away from him. "You brought her here! You saved her? After what she did to us? After what she let him get away with?"

"Spencer, please..." I whirled around to see my mother standing there. "You have to believe me when I say-"

"_Don't_." I said loudly. "Don't even look at me." I pushed past Sam, ignoring his calling toward me. I saw Daryl watching me, but I didn't even look at him. I kept walking, heading for the pond.

* * *

**Well, yall ! That's ch. 18. Holy moley, I know. Spencer finally found Sam, but still not all is well... I definitely hope that yall noticed how Daryl made sure to check on Spencer before checking on Carol. I wanted that to be significant in this chapter. Daryl and Spencer are so damn cute ! Haha I love writing this, and the feedback is amazing. I am so happy that yall are enjoying it ! Unfortunately, I jus got a job and I am currently taking classes 2 days a week, so I won't be able to update as much as I have this week. Can thank spring break for that one, haha ! Reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED, as always. I will update soon !**

**~Kaila G.**


	19. Chapter 19

I stormed away toward the pond, fuming. I couldn't believe that Sam had basically defended her! The anger had temporarily covered the hurt, but now that was coming out. I could feel my stomach knot up, and my chest began to tighten. Knowing what was coming, I saw down in front of the pond, and decided to just let it run it's course.

I began to feel funny, and it felt as if a weight was on my chest. My breathing began to increase quickly, and I could feel my hands beginning to tingle. Breathing hard, I shut my eyes, trying to focus on making myself breathe normal. It wasn't happening. Wrapping my arms around myself, I sat there trying to mentally stop my panic attack. I didn't even hear the footsteps.

"Hey, hey! What's wrong?" Daryl was beside me.

"I... I c-can't..." I shook my head. "P-panic." I gasped in breaths. Daryl sat down in front of me, taking my hand. He placed my hand on his chest, and looked into my eyes.

"Breathe." Daryl said quietly, and I could feel him breathe in and breathe out. Closing my eyes, I focused on my hand, feeling it rise and fall against his chest. _Breathe. In, out. In my nose, outta my mouth. Breathe. Breath in, breath out._ I kept my hand on his chest, breathing along with him. I don't know how many minutes passed, but my breathing began to stablize itself. Daryl's voice made me open my eyes. "Why?"

"I.. Been havin' 'em since I was young. Dunno... Stress? I think everything...jus' kinda hit me a-at once." I replied, my hand still on his chest.

"Gonna be aight." Daryl offered, and I frowned.

"No it ain't. That bitch's here." I muttered.

"Really hate'er, huh?" Daryl put his hand over mine, and pulled it off his chest. He held onto my hand for a moment, before letting go. The brush of his finger tips against my palm gave me chills.

"Got my reasons." I said, shaking off the feeling he had given me. "Plenty of 'em."

"Gotta get back on up to the house. Ya comin' or what?" Daryl asked, standing up.

"Yea, guessin' Rick's tryin' to decide what to do 'bout that Randall kid?" I asked, taking Daryl's hand when he offered it to me.

"Prolly so." Daryl mumbled, pulling me up from the ground. We walked back towards Hershel's house in silence. When we walked up onto the porch, I could hear Rick speaking as Daryl opened the screen door.

"When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way." Rick said. Daryl held the screen door open for me, and I walked in as he walked in behind me. Sam was leaning against a wall, while Katherine was sitting at the tables with the others. I glared at her.

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked. I looked over to see Carol looking at us and offering a smile. I smiled back lightly.

"He'll have a fightin' chance." Rick replied.

"Jus' gonna let 'em go? He knows where we are." Shane jumped in.

"He was blind folded the whole way here, he's not a threat." Rick said firmly.

"Not a threat. How many of 'em were there? You killed three of their men, ya took one of 'em hostage, but they jus' ain't gonna come lookin' for him." Shane kept on. I rolled my eyes, but Shane did have a point.

"They left him for dead! No one is looking." Rick said, and I could tell he was getting agitated.

"We should still post a guard." T-Dog spoke up.

"He's out cold right now. Will be for hours." Hershel said. I noticed that he looked very tired. I could only imagine.

"Ya know, I'm gonna get him some flowers an' candy." Shane said loudly, and I got pissed. Hand on my hip, I watched as he started to walk away. "Look at this folks, we back in fantasy land."

"Shane, you're such'a 'lil bitch." I growled. He spun around to look at me. Everyone was staring at me, shocked. Lori was shooting daggers at me with her eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes darted to Daryl for a moment, and he stopped. Turning back, he kept walking towards the door.

"You know we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn, yet! Let me make this perfectly clear. Once and for all, this is my farm. Now I wanned ya gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor. Keep ya mouth shut." Hershel said. Shane shook his head, and walked out of the door, slinging the screen door open.

"Look, we're not gonna do anything about it today. Let's just cool off." Rick said, walking to Hershel. I saw Andrea give her eyes a slight roll, before walking away and out of the door. Going to follow after Shane, probably.

"Spencer?" I looked up to see Sam staring at me. "Can we talk?"

"Yea, outside." I mumbled, and I dodged around Daryl, walking out of the door. Sam followed behind me. I looked back to see Daryl coming out of the house, Carol hot on his heels. I shook my head, and saw Sam look back at Daryl and Carol.

"What?" Sam asked, and I shook my head.

"Nothin'. Now what you want?" I asked a bit sharply.

"What I want? I wanna explanation, Spencer. What's happened to you? You're so different. You ain't the same person anymore...An' who is that guy ya with?" Sam stared at me.

"An explanation? Ya wanna explanation? Here's ya damn explanation. The world went to shit, Sam! Gone, over. Done. Damn right, I'm different. I ain't who I used to be. I had to fight, an' I mean _fight_, to keep Cheyenne, Shay, and myself alive. Ya dunno what I been through! Then ya come waltzin' in here with her, the she devil herself!" Anger and hurt swirled in my voice as I spoke. "An' that's Daryl... He, he's a friend."

"Spence, I get it! 'Kay? I totally get it. You're pissed, I know. She fucked up a lot in the past. She wasn't a good mother, at all. But still she's our mother, an' I couldn't jus' leav her!" Sam argued.

"She's ain't my mother at all. Never was. Up 'til now, she was dead to me. Even if she's here, she still is." I said calmly, no emotion in my voice. "Waited so long, so long to get away from her. The fuckin' world ends, an' here she is. Still alive an' kickin'. Ain't life gotta way of kickin' ya while ya down?"

"You seriously want her dead." Sam said, looking at me. He shook his head.

"Oh, don't act so innocent." I spat. "You hated 'em, too."

"I hated him." Sam said, looking away. "I hated him a helluva lot more. Woulda left him to the walkers, as y'all call 'em."

"She let 'em." I said quietly, looking down.

"Spencer.." Sam looked at me.

"NO! She let 'em hit us! She laughed, Sam! She _laughed_! Don't ya remember what happened that night? DON'T YOU? If it wasn't for you, it woulda happened, an' then there's no tellin' how many times it woulda..." I felt tears in my eyes.

"Yea, but she-" Sam started.

"STOP! Stop makin' excuses! I can't do this." I shook my head, walkin' away. I walked up to Daryl's tent, and ducked inside. Daryl wasn't there, so I figured he'd gone off to the barn, or into the woods. Sighing, I left the tent, walking back down toward the house to find Shay and Cheyenne.

* * *

Rick and Shane had left to take Randall somewhere. I hadn't thought it was a great idea, but I didn't object. Daryl had taken off into the woods, not even saying two words to me. I felt like Carol was just pissing him off more, and it agitated me. Whenever Daryl was upset over something, he seemed to take that anger out on everything or everyone else around him. Shaking my head, I walked inside the house to the sound of Maggie and Beth arguing upstairs.

"Where's Hershel?" Andrea asked, as I walked in and leaned against the counter.

"Maggie don't want him to find out yet." Lori said, stuffing something in her mouth. "Family affair, let them work it out."

"That's working it out?" Andrea looked from Lori to me.

"Don't look at me." I said, holding my hands up.

"When Beth stops fightin', that's when it's time to worry." Lori eased off of the counter.

"This coulda been handled better." Andrea said.

"How so?" Lori asked, and I heard slight mocking in her voice. I had to refrain from rolling my eyes.

"You shouldn't have taken the knife away." Andrea said surely, and Lori turned away from the dishes she was washing.

"Really?" Lori asked.

"You were wrong." Andrea said. "Like Dale taking my gun, that wasn't your decision. She has to choose to live on her own, she has to find her own reasons."

"You want me to tie a noose for her?" Lori asked, putting a plate of food in the refrigerator.

"If she's serious, she'll figure out a way." Andrea replied.

"Doesn't mean I can't stop her, or let her know that I care." Lori said, fiddling around by the sink.

"That has nothing to do with it, Lori. She only has so many choices in front of her. And she believes the best one is suicide." Andrea argued.

"That's not an option." Lori argued back.

"Of course it is. She doesn't need to be yelled at... Or treated like a child." Andrea said.

"She needs a loaded gun, right?" Lori mumbled.

"Andrea's right." I spoke up. "Don't wanna see nothin' bad happen to'er, but the girl will find a way if she really wants to kill herself."

"You'll understand if I don't send y'all in there." Lori mumbled again.

"I came through it." Andrea stared at Lori with disbelief.

"And became such a productive member of the group." Lori said with sarcasm. "Let Maggie handle this her way."

"I contribute. I help keep this place safe." Andrea argued.

"The men can handle this on their own. They don't need your help. Either of you." Lori looked at me with a frown.

"I'm sorry, what would you have me do?" Andrea was mad. I could hear it in her voice.

"Oh, there's plenty of work to go around." Lori said.

"Are you serious? Everything falls apart, you're in my face over skipping laundry?" Andrea snapped.

"Look, here." I spat, getting angry. "Sit my ass up there for hours at a damn time, keepin' watch so you can get ya beauty sleep. Don't sit there an' tell me we don't contribute, Lori. Wash my own clothes, wash Shay's and Cheyenne's, and Daryl's. So get off it!"

"Puts a burden on the rest of us. On me and Carol, Patricia and Maggie. Cookin' and cleanin' and carin' for Beth. You...Y'all don't care about anyone but yourselves, y'all sit up there on that RV workin' on your tan with a shotgun in your lap. Then you, Spencer, followin' Daryl around like a puppy, sleepin' with him..." Lori looked back at Andrea.

"Un-fuckin'-believable." I huffed. I raised my arm, and then slammed myself against the counter before taking a step toward Lori. "Better be glad ya fuckin' pregnant."

"You know, I am on watch against walkers, that is what matters! Not fresh mint leaves and the lemonade." Andrea's voice was rising slightly.

"We are providing stability. We are trying to create a life worth living." Lori argued.

"Are you kidding me?" Andrea asked, glaring.

"Look, I, I went after Rick. I took down two walkers-" Lori's words were cut off by Andrea.

"After crashing Maggie's car, ever apologize for that?" Andrea asked, and I almost laughed.

"Crashing her... You're insane." Lori mumbled.

"No, you are. You're the one that's self centered. The way you take it all for granted." Andrea shot.

"My husband is out there, for the hundredth time. My son was shot." Lori stepped into Andrea's face. "Don't you dare tell me that I take this for granted!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Andrea leaned forward on the counter. "Your husband came back from the dead. Your son too, and now you gotta baby on the way. The rest of us have piled up our losses. Me, Carol, Beth. You just keep on keepin' on."

"We have all suffered." Lori breathed.

"Playin' house, acting like the queen bee. Laying down rules for everybody but yourself. You know what? Go ahead. Go in there, and tell that little girl that everything's gonna be okay. Just like it is for you. She'll get a husband, a son, baby...boyfriend. She just has to look on the bright side." Andrea then stepped back from the counter and walked away, rolling her eyes.

"An' for the record, _Lori_, I ain't slept with Daryl. Ain't like you, now. No ma'am." I gave her a obviously fake smile. "But, uh, heard ya like sheriffs and deputies?" The look on Lori's face was all I needed to make me smile. I walked out of the kitchen, and out of the front door. I kept walking until I reached the tent I used to share with Shay and Cheyenne.

I ducked inside to see Shay laying down, Cheyenne coloring in a coloring book. I grinned, remembering Glenn and Maggie returning with the book and crayons one evening. Cheyenne had been so excited, that I couldn't even bear to make her finish her studying. Leaning down, I put a hand on her head.

"Hey sweet girl. Wanna grab ya colorin' book an' come with me?" I asked, winking at Shay.

"Sure!" Cheyenne gave me a big smile as she stuffed her crayons back in the box. Grabbing her coloring book, she stood and we walked out of the tent. "Where we goin'?"

"To Daryl's." I said quietly.

"Is he in the tent?" Cheyenne asked, looking up the hill at his tent.

"I don't think so." I replied. "Think he's off doin' somethin'."

"Ohhh... When's he comin' back?" Cheyenne asked curiously.

"Dunno, guess we'll jus' hafta stick 'round an' see." I winked at her as we reached the tent.

"Are ya sure we can jus' go in?" Cheyenne asked, eyeing the tent.

"Yea, go on." I encouraged. Cheyenne stepped into the tent slowly, and I followed behind her. I watched as she layed her coloring book down on the floor of the tent. Grabbing a blue crayon from the box, she began coloring the sky in the picture.

"What ya colorin'?" I asked, sitting down beside her.

"The sky." She replied simply.

"Well, when ya done with the sky, it's time to study some, 'kay?" I reached over and grabbed my duffel bag. Cheyenne stopped coloring and stared at me.

"Why's your bag in here?" Cheyenne asked, as she started back coloring again. _Damn, she's a smart kid. Don't miss nothin'._

"Left it in here." I mumbled, grabbing a math book and some paper. I dug a little deeper to grab a pencil. Pushing my duffel bag away, I looked back at Cheyenne. She was nearly done coloring the sky.

"Why was it in here in the first place?" Cheyenne asked.

"Why ya ask so many questions?" I teased, and she grinned.

"I already know." Cheyenne said quietly, and I tilted my head.

"Know what?" I asked.

"You been sleepin' in here." Cheyenne said. "I woke up a few times an' saw you was gone."

"How ya know I been in here?" I asked.

"You like Daryl. An' he likes you." Cheyenne explained and I laughed.

"No, we're jus' really good friends." I said, opening her math book. "Time to do some work."

"Done with the sky! 'Kay, I'm ready!" Cheyenne grabbed the pencil and stared at the book. "Which ones?"

"These five first." I pointed to the first set of problems. As she sat there with her face full of concentration, I realized that she was growing up. She was beginning to say her words more clearly now. She had always been a smart kid, but she was learning to observe more. I sighed, thinking about how quickly she was growing up.

Footsteps interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up at the tent flap expecting to see Daryl. Instead, Carol's head appeared. We both stared at each other for a moment, Cheyenne looking up at her with a smile. She looked at me questioningly, before smiling at us both.

"Where's Daryl?" Carol asked quietly.

"Dunno, he left earlier. Thought he might be back by now, but he ain't yet." I replied, looking at Cheyenne who had grabbed my hand.

"Done!" Cheyenne said.

"Do the next five."I instructed then looked back at Carol.

"Do you think he's okay? Really okay?" Carol asked, staring at the ground.

"Think he is." I nodded my head. Carol smiled.

"Maybe I'll catch him later. You two have fun with the math." She stepped out of the tent, and I gave her a small wave. I looked out of the tent flap, watching Carol walk back down toward the camp area.

"I don't get this one." Cheyenne said, nudging me. I looked down at the paper, looking at the problem she was pointing at.

"What's eight plus two?" I asked.

"Ten?" Cheyenne looked at me.

"Aight, put the zero right there." I pointed to her paper. "Now what'dya do with the one?"

"Uhhh..." Cheyenne stared at the paper. "Carry it?"

"Bingo. Now add up the rest." I smiled at her. Suddenly there was someone by the tent, and Daryl opened the flap, looking surprised to see us.

"Daryl!" Cheyenne cooed, giving him a big grin.

"Hey Cheyenne." Daryl spoke softly, and my heart melted.

"Will you sit with me?" Cheyenne asked, and I watched as Daryl stepped into the tent and sat down. "I'm doin' math, ya see? Spencer has to help me some, though."

"She does, huh?" The corner of his lips twitched upward, and I laughed.

"I ain't good at math myself," I admitted, "but luckily she's young. It's easy." Daryl and I sat watching as Cheyenne finished the last two problems.

"Can I go play now?" Cheyenne begged.

"One more set." I said, and I was about to show her what problems to do when Daryl stopped me.

"Awl, come on." He winked at Cheyenne. "Let'er go play."

"Yea!" Cheyenne nodded in agreement. I gave Daryl a playful glare.

"Fine. Cheyenne, ya can go play. But Daryl's gotta make up for it." I raised an eyebrow.

"The problems are easy." Cheyenne whispered to Daryl. "Thanks Daryl!" And with that she ran off. I began laughing, and Daryl even let out a chuckle. Looking over at him I smiled. He smirked.

"What I gotta do?" He asked.

"Huh?" I was still smiling.

"Make up for it." Daryl said quietly.

"Oh, well..." I looked out of the tent flap, and when I looked back, Daryl was in front of me. "W-what ya got in..mind?" I asked, looking into his eyes. Daryl put his hand on the nape of my neck and leaned toward me. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I welcomed him closer, still looking into his eyes. Then a noise made us freeze.

The sound of a car driving up the driveway. I sighed and looked up at him. Daryl let out a huffed chuckle, and hung his head for a moment. Looking back up at me, he brushed his thumb across my bottom lip, then stood and left the tent. I sat there for a moment, I could still feel his hand on my neck. Hearing voices, I stood up and walked out of the tent.

Rick and Shane were back and... Randall was too? I walked down to the camp area, not too far behind Daryl. Rick had Randall by the arm, the kid still tied up and gagged. Shane was following him, leading the kid back to the barn. I walked up beside Daryl, giving him a questioning look. He shrugged. So things didn't go so well after all. Shane closed up the barn after Rick came out. Walking toward Daryl and I, Rick had a very serious look on his face.

"Daryl, I need a favor." Rick said, walking up to stand in front of us. "Can you _talk_ to the kid? I would like some answers, and you may just be the guy to get 'em."

"Can do that." Daryl said, and stalked off toward the barn.

"You aight? Covered in blood..." I looked at Rick with concern.

"Fine, had a rough time out there." Rick nodded, looking toward the barn.

"Uh, huh." I followed his gaze, and I could hear faint noises coming from the barn. _Thud_. I figured Daryl was smacking him around.

"Think Daryl can get anything outta him?" Rick asked.

"Oh yea. He will." I said. Something caught my eye, and I saw Lori walking toward us. "Better leave ya alone." My tone was sneering.

"What?" Rick looked over to see Lori coming our way. He looked back at me. "What happened?"

"Jumped mine and Andrea's shit." I shrugged. "No big deal. Put'er in her place. No offense." Rick chuckled and Lori walked up to us.

"Why's he back with you two?" Lori asked, ignoring me.

"Over run with walkers, couldn't leave him." Rick said with a tired voice.

"Beth tried to kill herself. Andrea was supposed to watch her, and she cut her wrist." Lori said, shooting me a glare.

"So she did it, huh? Well she's still alive. So, she wants to live." I sneered slightly at Lori before turning to walk away.

"I didn't mean for things to get ugly in the kitchen." Lori called to me. I turned back toward her.

"I'm cool." I held my hands up. "Said what I needed to say." I turned again and kept walking. When I reached the camp area, I stood beside Dale, giving him a grin. "Hey _Dad_."

"Spencer, what are you up to?" Dale smiled, looking at me. Andrea was watching us, looking curious.

"Oh, nothin'." I kept smiling until Lori, Carl, and Rick walked up. Glenn joined us, and Shane walked over. Lori knelt by the fire, fiddling around with a kettle looking thing. I really wanted to roll my eyes.

"So whatcha gonna do? Think we'd all feel better if we knew the plan." Lori looked up at Rick and Shane.

"Is there a plan?" Andrea asked, sounding not so convinced.

"We gonna keep him here?" Glenn looked at Rick.

"We'll know soon enough." Rick replied, looking straight ahead. I felt a smile creep over my lips when I saw Daryl walking toward us, crossbow slung over his shoulder.

"Boy there's gotta gang." Daryl informed as he walked up. I noticed Maggie join into the circle as Daryl continued speaking. "Thirty men. Got heavy artillery an' ain't lookin' to make friends. They roll through here, our boys'er dead. Our women, they're gonna.. They're gonna wish they were." I saw Daryl's face harden slightly and he glanced at me before looking back at Rick. I noticed his knuckles were bloody.

"What'd you do?" Carol asked.

"Had a little chat." Daryl mumbled, walking off.

"No one goes near this guy." Rick instructed.

"What are you gonna do?" Lori asked.

"We have no choice. He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat." Rick said firmly.

"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale asked.

"It's settled. We'll do it today." Rick was strong on his words, then he walked away. I watched as Dale went after him. It had been a long day already, and I was missing Daryl. Noticing Cheyenne walking with Patricia and Shay, I smiled.

"Hey!" Sam's voice caught my attention.

"Hey." I called as he jogged up to me.

"Rick's really gonna kill that kid?" Sam asked, his voice full of disbelief.

"Dunno. If he does, sure got enough reason. You heard Daryl." I said, looking up toward Daryl's tent.

"You really trust that guy, don't you?" Sam asked, following my gaze.

"Yea, I do. Why?" I sort of snapped at him.

"Saw Cheyenne come'a runnin' outta his tent. Then he came out, you not far behind him. Y'all togther or what?" Sam asked.

"We're jus' friends." I said calmly. "I care 'bout him." I added.

"Huh. I see that. An' he's good to you?" Sam looked at me.

"He's tough to deal with at times. Temper. Gets frustrated easily. But he's good." I said.

"Temper?" Sam's voice sounded guarded.

"He ain't violent, geez." I huffed.

"Hey, jus' askin' what ya meant." Sam held up his hands.

"He's saved Cheyenne and me." I said quietly. "He's what has kept us alive."

"What happened? Ya seem so much more..." Sam trailed off.

"What?" I asked.

"Adjusted." Sam seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

"Yea, ya could say that. The world's changed everyone." I looked at the ground.

"It has. I think Katherine wants to see Cheye-"

"NO." I said firmly. "She ain't allowed no where near Chy. Shay knows it, too. Sam I mean it." I stared at him, giving a glare. "I'm serious."

"Okay, okay!" Sam held his hands up again. "Got it. Ya been watchin' her, she's your kid now. What ya say goes."

"Thanks, Sam." I stepped toward him and gave him a hug. "Did I mention how good it is to see you?" I smiled, and he gave me a laugh.

"No, but it's good to see you too, Spencer." Sam smiled at me as I turned and walked away. Trudging up to Daryl's tent area, I saw him sorting through his arrows. Giving him a grin when he noticed me, I walked up and leaned against the small brick foundation.

"Hey Dixon." I said quietly, and I could tell he was trying not to grin. He looked up at me, as if he were about to say something, when Dale came walking up to us.

"Whole point of me comin' up here is to get away from you people." Daryl said, but his voice held no malice.

"Gonna take more than that." Dale threw a stick into Daryl's pile.

"Carol send ya?" Daryl asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Carol's not the only one concerned about you. Your new role in the group." Dale looked at me for help, but I remained silent.

"Man, I don't need my head shrunk. This group's broken. Better off fendin' for myself." Daryl mumbled.

"You act like you don't care." Dale kept on.

"Yea, it's 'cause I don't." Daryl said, grabbing his vest jacket and putting it on.

"So, live or die, you don't care what happens to Randall?" Dale asked.

"Nope." Daryl said surely. I kept silent, watching Dale keep trying.

"Then why not stand with me, try to save the kid's life, if it really doesn't matter one way or the other?" Dale kept staring at Daryl, waiting for an answer.

"I didn't peg ya for'a desperate son'a bitch." Daryl grumbled.

"Your opinion makes a difference." Dale tried.

"Man, ain't nobody lookin' at me for nothin'." Daryl said, walking away.

"Carol is! An-And I am! Right now! Spencer does." Dale said, and Daryl turned back to face him, then looked at me. I felt myself blushing a little. _Thanks a lot, Dale._ I mumbled in my head. "An' you obviously, you have Rick's ear."

"Rick jus' looks to Shane. Let 'em." Daryl was getting agitated. I could feel it.

"You cared about what happened to Sophia." Dale spoke again, and I cringed slightly. "Cared what it meant to the group. Torturing people? That isn't you. You're a decent man! So is Rick! Shane..is different."

"Why's that?" Daryl asked, and I saw the curiosity on his face. Seeing his scruffed up knuckles, I made a mental note to clean those later. "'Cause he killed Otis?"

"He tell you that?" Dale asked, walking closer.

"Tell some story. Otis covered 'em, saved his ass. He showed up with the dead guy's gun. Rick ain't stupid. If he didn't figure that out, it's 'cause he didn't wanna. It's like I said, group's broken." Daryl walked away and I jogged after him.

"Daryl, wait!" I called, and he turned around. I reached one arm behind my back, grabbing my other arm in the crook of my elbow. "I need'a favor."

"What ya want, girl?" He asked, looking back toward camp.

"Can we go into town?" I asked quietly. "I need'a get some stuff."

"Can't ya ask Glenn?" Daryl looked at me.

"Don't he go enough?" I asked. "Oh, come on. It'll be fun."

"Fun?" Daryl sounded skeptical.

"Fine, maybe not fun. Jus'.. Please?" I poked my lip out slightly. Daryl stared at me for a moment, before sighing.

"Aight, fine. Takin' the motorcycle. Here." Daryl took of his vest jacket and handed it to me. "Ain't ya got somethin' warmer to wear?"

"That's why we're goin' into town." I smiled as he rolled his eyes.

"World's gone to shit an' I'm takin' ya window shoppin'." Daryl huffed.

"Want me to freeze?" I glared playfully. He shook his head, and we walked over to his motorcycle. Daryl climbed on, and I climbed on behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He rode down near the camp area, catching Dale.

"Runnin' into town right quick, we'll be right back!" Daryl called over the motorcycle's engine. Dale nodded, and Daryl turned the bike, heading for the driveway. Holding on to him, I rested my head against his back, the wind whipping through my hair.

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**Hehe ain't they jus the cutest ? I hope yall are enjoying this story ! I am lovin the Daryl/Spencer interaction and how it's like they get sooooo close, and then an interruption :( haha but that's what makes it worth it when they finally do get a moment. I am havin a ball writing this and the feedback has been AH-MAZING ! Reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED as always, it shows that the readers like what I am writing ! I am definitely enjoying this story, very very much. I hope yall liked this chapter !**

**~Kaila G.**


	20. Chapter 20

The ride into town was fairly quick. Daryl and I kept quiet as we stalked though a few stores, me grabbing what I needed. I managed to find Shay and Cheyenne a few things as well, clothes seemed to be everywhere. As soon as my duffel bag was packed, Daryl gave me a smirk.

"Ready yet?" He huffed playfully. I gave him a sly grin and began walking back toward the front door of the shop we were in.

"Ready." I said quietly, and I could hear him behind me. Looking out of the door, I stepped outside of the shop. Suddenly, Daryl grabbed my arm, pulling me back inside. Pushing me against the wall, he leaned his face close to mine.

"Where ya goin'?" He whispered, then his mouth was on mine. Putting one hand around his neck, I pulled him closer, welcoming the kiss. Then, just as quickly as it started, he pulled back.

"Let's go." Daryl said gruffly. I nodded and turned back toward the door, my heart racing. Seeing nothing, I walked quickly over to the motorcycle and waited for Daryl. Once he was on, I hopped on behind him and got myself situated. When he glanced back at me, I flashed him a quick thumbs up, and he started the bike.

I held on tight as we rode back to the farm. Every now and then, Daryl would speed up, causing me to hold on tighter. Laughing, I snaked my arms all the way around his waist, and watched the scenery fly by. Any other time, this would have been a perfect moment. Riding with Daryl, feeling free as the wind whipped through my hair.

Before I knew it, the perfect ride was over. I could see the Greene's mailbox in sight, and Daryl slowed down as he turned down the driveway. I could see, what looked like, T-Dog on top of the RV. Daryl rode up toward his tent area, and stopped the motorcycle. Climbing off, I sat my duffel bag down, and started to take off his vest jacket.

"Keep it." Daryl grunted. I stopped and looked up at him.

"You love this vest." I said quietly.

"Looks good on ya." Daryl smirked. "Jus' keep it for now. Too hot for me out here." Feeling butterflies in my stomach, I nodded.

"Thanks." I shrugged my arm back into the sleeve, and picked up my duffel bag. I started to turn away, but stopped. "Ya goin' out?"

"For a bit." Daryl said. I shifted the duffel bag over my shoulder and walked up to him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, I leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. I smiled lightly at the way he tensed up when I touched him. "Thanks for the ride."

He gave me a grunt, as I turned away and began walking down toward the camp area. Passing by the RV, I saw T-Dog and gave him a wave. He looked in the direction I had been coming from and shook his head. Waving him off, I laughed and walked over to my tent. Peeking inside, I saw no one.

"T?" I looked back at T-Dog. "Where's Shay and Chy?"

"Last I saw, they were walkin' up to the house. Haven't seen 'em since." T-Dog replied. Walking away from the RV, I headed toward the house. Seeing Rick and Lori, I walked up to them, giving Rick a smile.

"Seen Shay or Chy?" I asked, looking at Rick.

"Cheyenne was playing with Carl... I think Shay's inside." Rick said. I gave him a thankful smile and walked up the stairs to the house. Stopping at the door, I almost knocked, but just walked inside instead. When I got to the kitchen, I saw Maggie and Shay sitting at the table talking.

"Hey Spencer." Shay gave me a grin. "We were just talking about you."

"Oh, Lord. Whatta 'bout?" I sat down beside her, plunking my duffel bag to the floor.

"Daryl." Maggie began smiling. I rolled my eyes and layed my head on the table.

"Really, y'all?" I asked, picking my head up with a glare.

"I think y'all are cute together." Maggie cooed.

"We ain't together." I said, feeling my cheeks burn.

"Your face is telling a different story." Shay giggled.

"We ain't! For real." I tried not to smile.

"Yea, right." Maggie laughed. "I know love birds when I see 'em."

"Yea, you an' Glenn!" I smiled at her.

"You and Daryl." Shay said. "It's so obvious, I mean he even let you wear his vest."

"He took me into town. Had to wear somethin' warm." I tried to plead my case.

"Yea, yea, yea. So what did you two do in town?" Shay raised her eyebrows and Maggie giggled.

"Nothin'! Really! Jus' got us some clothes. You, Chy, and myself. All I been doin' is sleepin' in his tent." I gave them a serious face. "Seriously, that's it."

"You got us clothes?" Shay's eyes lit up.

"Yea, gettin' colder out." I unzipped my duffel bag and handed her the clothes I had picked up for her. The three of us sat there talking and laughing until Rick walked through.

"Gonna have a meeting about Randall. I'm going to get the others now." Rick said, and we all looked at each other for a moment before standing up. I walked out onto the porch to see Carl and Cheyenne walking up to the house, both looking dirty. _Damn, them kids sure do get dirty quick_.

"Let's gather up." Rick announced.

"Come on Carl, I want you to stay with Jimmy." Lori said.

"But, I-I wanna listen." Carl tried.

"Nah, uh. Not this time. Come on." Lori instructed, and Carl followed her.

"Why don't ya go with Carl?" I said to Cheyenne.

"Okay." Cheyenne said simply, following Carl. "Carl, what if they-"

"Shhh." I heard Carl whisper, and I saw Cheyenne nod her head as they walked inside. _The hell's that all 'bout?_ I wondered as I watched Carl stop near Daryl. Cheyenne stopped too, waiting on Carl. Lori and Rick looked at the two, and they realized they weren't getting their way this time. As the two kids went to sit with Jimmy, I walked over beside Daryl. We glanced at each other, but said nothing.

"So how do we do this? Just take a vote?" Glenn broke the silence.

"Does it have to be anonymous?" Andrea asked.

"What about majority rules?" Lori spoke up.

"Well let's, let's jus' see where everybody stands. Then we can talk through the options.." Rick instructed.

"Hell, the way I see it, there's only one way to move forward." Shane said from across the room.

"Killing him. Right?" Dale's voice was raised. "I mean, why even bother to take a vote? It's clear which way the wind is blowing."

"Well if people believe we should spare him, I wanna know." Rick looked at Dale.

"Well I can tell you it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn." Dale said quietly.

"Look, I... I think you're pretty much right about everything." Glenn spoke up, looking at Dale. "All the time, but this-"

"They've got you scared!" Dale's voice rose again.

"He's not one of us." Glenn said, and my eyes immediately darted over to Katherine. "And we, we've lost too many people already." Dale was silent for a moment. Then he looked at Maggie.

"How 'bout you, do you agree with this?" Dale asked.

"Couldn't we continue keepin' him prisoner?" Maggie asked Rick.

"Jus' another mouth to feed." Daryl spoke up, and I glanced at him.

"It may be a lean winter." Hershel caught my attention.

"We could ration better." Lori advised. _Nice, comin' from you, preggo._ I thought.

"Or he could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself." Dale argued.

"Put him to work." Glenn suggested.

"We're not lettin' him walk around." Rick said firmly.

"You could put an escort on him." Maggie said.

"Who wants to volunteer for that duty?" Shane sneered slightly.

"I will!" Dale replied.

"I don't think any of us should be walkin' around with this guy." Rick said, his hand held up.

"He's right, I-I wouldn't feel safe unless he was tied up." Lori mumbled.

"We can't exactly put chains around his ankles, sentence him to hard labor." Andrea shook her head.

"Look," Shane spoke again, "say we let 'em join us, right? Maybe, maybe he's helpful. Maybe he's.._nice_. We let our guard down, maybe he runs off, brings back his thirty men." I looked at Shane, but when I heard Dale's voice, my eyes darted back to him.

"So the answer's to kill him to prevent a crime he may never even attempt?" Dale's voice had risen once again. "If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead, there is no civilization."

"Oh my God." Shane mumbled, and I shot him a glare.

"Could you drive him further out? Leave him like you planned?" Hershel asked Rick.

"You barely came back this time." Lori said, and I let out an agitated huff. I felt something press against my lower back. I glanced over at Daryl, shaking my head. "There are walkers, you could break down, y-y-you could get lost."

"Get ambushed." Daryl threw in.

"They're right." Glenn agreed. "We should not put our own people at risk."

"If you go through with it.." Patricia looked at Rick. "How would you do it? Will he suffer?"

"Could hang him, right? Jus' snap his neck." Shane's voice was quiet.

"I thought about that." Rick admitted. "Shooting may be more humane."

"And, uh..what about the body? What do we do with-" T-Dog was cut off.

"Wh-wh-whoa, whoa, hold on! Hold on. You're talking about this like it has already been decided." Dale interrupted.

"We been talkin' all day." Daryl's hand slipped from my back. "Goin' 'round in circles, ya jus' wanna go 'round circles again?"

"This is a young man's LIFE! And it is worth more than a five minute conversation!" Dale argued. "Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with them? You saved him! And now look at us. He's been tortured. He's gonna be executed... How are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?" I looked over at Maggie, who looked like she might cry. I felt the same way because of the way Dale was reacting to all of this.

"We all know what needs to be done." Shane said firmly.

"No Dale is right." Rick said. "We can't leave any stone unturned here. We have responsibilities-"

"So what's the other solution?" Andrea asked,

"Let Rick finish." Lori snapped.

"We haven't come up with a single, viable option yet. I wish we could-" Andrea was speaking when Dale snapped again.

"SO LET'S WORK ON IT!" Dale bellowed.

"We are-"

"Stop it! Just stop it. I'm sick of everybody arguing and fighting!" Carol looked around. "I didn't ask for this. You can't ask us to decide something like this. Please decide, either of you, both of you. But leave me out." Carol shrugged.

"Not speaking out, or killing him yourself. There's no difference." Dale said.

"All right, that's enough." Rick's voice was firm.

"I can take 'em out somewhere." Sam offered.

"Hell no ya ain't!" I looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Anybody wants the floor, before we make a final decision, has the chance." Rick said, stepping back. Maggie and Patricia sat down. No one said a word.

"You once said that we don't kill the living." Dale began trying again with Rick.

"Well that was before the living tried to kill us." Rick mumbled.

"But don't you see? If we do this, th-the people that we were, the world that we knew is dead! And this new world is ugly... It's harsh. It's," Dale began stuttering, "a survival of the fittest. And that's a world I don't wanna live in. And I-I don't believe that any of you do. I can't! Please... Let's just do what's right." Everyone was silent and I could see tears in Dale's eyes. "Isn't there anyone else that's gonna stand with me?" No one said a word, and I couldn't take it.

"We should find another way." I said, and I saw Daryl glance at me. Dale looked at me shocked, and I saw Shane whip his head up to glare. I glared back.

"He's right... Spencer's right. We should try to find another way." Andrea's voice surprised me. I glanced over at her, giving her a thankful look.

"Anybody else?" Rick asked. No one spoke. Rick turned back to Dale.

"Are you all gonna watch, too? Nah, you'll go hide your heads in your tents and try to forget that we're slaughtering a human being... Whoa... I won't be a party to it." Dale walked toward Daryl and I. Resting a hand on Daryl's shoulder he said, "This group is broken." Then he walked out of the door.

Frustrated for Dale, I left the room as well, walking outside. I kept walking until I reached the RV and climbed up on top to the roof. Sitting down, I took my gun from my waist band, and looked toward the barn. I heard feet coming up the ladder, but I didn't bother looking over to see who it was.

"Ya mad?" Daryl asked, sitting beside me.

"No, jus' upset." I admitted.

"Ya really wanna save that kid?" Daryl looked into my eyes. I sighed.

"Honestly? I dunno. But I damn sure don't wanna see Dale like that." I shook my head. "Shane's a real shit job." I dug in jean pocket to retrieve my cigarettes. Grabbing one from the box, I lit it up. I handed the box to Daryl, who took one as well.

"Gotta run down to the barn. Stay here, be back." Daryl said, tucking the cigarette behind his ear. I shook my head, taking a hit from my cigarette. Exhaling, I watched him climb down the ladder, and trudge toward the house. I looked over to see Daryl, Rick, and Shane leading Randall to the barn.

I looked away, not wanting to hear or see any of it. I knew that was impossible, but I tried to think of something else. Everyone seemed to come to the camp area, just sitting around not saying much. I kept quiet, thinking about Daryl, when I heard footsteps. Looking down, I saw Rick appear with Carl.

"We're keepin' him in custody. For now." Rick announced, and I blew out a breath.

"I'm gonna find Dale." Andrea said with a smile, and I jumped up from the RV.

"Andrea?" I looked down at her. "I wanna come with ya."

"Of course." Andrea gave me a sincere smile and I climbed down from the RV. We walked along in silence, looking around for Dale. Surely he hadn't gotten too far.

"Man, where'd he go?" I mumbled, as we walked toward the pond.

"I don't know... I thought maybe he'd have come out this way..." Andrea trailed off as we looked around for any sign of him.

"Think maybe he-" I was cut off by a scream.

"HELLLPAHHHHH!"

"The hell? That Dale?" I looked at Andrea. "The field?"

"I think so, come on!" Andrea and I raced toward the field, yelling.

"DALE? DALE?" We were both calling out to him getting no answer. I heard a blood curdling scream and I could see something, a walker, on top of Dale. Daryl reached them first, bulldozing the walker off of Dale and stabbing it in the head.

"HELP! OVER HERE!" I could see Daryl waving his arms. I could hear the groups cries as we reached Dale, blood pouring from his stomach. His insides were visable, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from being sick. Rick was talking to Dale, who was making noises, but couldn't speak.

"GET HERSHEL!" Rick yelled.

"Hang on, Dale. Hang on." Andrea knelt down beside him, and I knelt down with her.

"Dale..." I looked at him with tears in my eyes.

"HERSHEL, WE NEED HERSHEL!" Rick screamed.

"Look at me.." Andrea was talking to Dale, and everyone seemed to be speaking at once.

"What happened?" Hershel was at Dale's side.

"What can we do?" Rick asked. "Can we move him?"

"We can't.." I whispered.

"He won't make the trip." Hershel shook his head.

"We have to do the operation here, Glenn get back to the house-" Rick started, but Hershel put a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Rick!" Hershel shook his head.

"NOO!" Rick spun around, angry and hurt. Dale was gurgling and gagging, wincing in pain. Rick knelt down beside him, gun in hand.

"He's dyin'!" I was crying now. I looked over to see Carl and Cheyenne standing nearby, staring at the dead walker. Shay grabbed a crying Cheyenne, while Carl cried running over to Lori.

"He's suffering...DO SOMETHING!" Andrea cried.

"PLEASE!" I yelled, watching Dale wince in pain. Rick stood over Dale, his gun aimed down.

"Oh, God." Andrea moved away crying. Daryl picked me up off the ground.

"I'm sorry." Daryl whispered in my ear, before walking over to Rick. He took the gun from Rick's hand, and looked down at Dale, aiming the gun at his head. Daryl knelt down, and looked up at me, his eyes pleading for me to look away. I kept my eyes on his until he looked back down at Dale. "Sorry brother." The gunshot was loud as it echoed through my ears.

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**Well, that's ch. 20 ! A bit short, but it had a cute moment in the beginning ! Dale's death was sad :( I hate watching that part... But anyways, the REVIEWS are GREATLY APPRECIATED and I am so happy that yall are enjoying this story ! I will update soon !**

**~Kaila G.**


	21. Chapter 21

Dale was still. Andrea began sobbing loudly and I could hear the cries of everyone else around me. Tears were running down my cheeks as I looked over at Shay and Cheyenne. Shay let go of Cheyenne, who came running to me. She collasped in my lap and began to sob. Holding her close, I noticed Daryl come around and kneel down beside us.

Without a word, I tried to stand, but stopped. Cheyenne's weight... My knees felt weak, and I thought I might throw up. Daryl leaned down, taking Cheyenne from my arms. He held her close, and she cried against his shoulder. I glanced over at Dale again, seeing the bullet hole in his head. I could see blood thick around the back of his head. Brain matter in the grass... I leaned over and threw up.

Daryl touched my shoulder, but I brushed him off. I stood, and looked at him, nodding toward the house. We walked in silence, the only thing I could hear was Cheyenne's sniffles against Daryl's shoulder. He glanced at me, but I kept my eyes on the house. Once to the stairs, Maggie had caught up with us.

"She can sleep inside." Maggie said quietly, and Daryl walked into the house with Maggie. Shay walked up and entered the house quietly. I sat down on the stairs, my thoughts swirling around in my head.

Dale was gone. Gone, just like that. He was there one minute and gone the next. _He's gone. Dale's gone. I'll never have watch with 'em 'gain. Never hear him laugh. Tease me 'bout Daryl. Never hear his voice, his advice. Who's gonna fix the RV, now? _It was such a stupid thought, really. But the question brought on more tears.

"Spencer, why are you cryin'?" Katherine's voice hit my ears. Immediately, I was on the defensive.

"I jus' watched someone I care 'bout die." I replied coldly, looking out toward the field.

"At least it wasn't Sam, or myself... Or Daryl." Katherine said, and the way she said Daryl's name made me bristle. It was like a hint of taunting in her voice.

"At least it wasn't... You stupid? How could ya say somethin' like that?" I huffed, staring at her.

"Well, would you have traded Sam or Daryl-" She started.

"NO! I love my brother! Wouldn't do that!" I was trying not to yell.

"And Daryl?" Katherine asked.

"Ya crazy? Hell no! I..." I trailed off.

"You love him, don't you?" My mother asked, and I could hear the malice in her voice.

"Yea." I shook my head.

"You're the stupid one, Spencer." Katherine's words took me by surprise. "Your father and I had everything all planned out for your future. Medical school, a rich husband... Then you ran off and ruined your life the second you turned eighteen. Now the world's gone to hell and your settlin' down with the first thing you can find. A stupid, redneck nobody!" I stood up and stepped up to her. Our faces were only inches apart.

"I'd trade you for Dale." I said coldly. _SMACK_, I heard the sound before I felt the sting. My head was jerked to the side from the slap I had just recieved.

"How could you-" She started.

"HOW COULD I?" I screamed, pulling my gun from the waist band of my jeans. I pointed it at her face. "HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD JUS' SIT BY AN' LET HIM DO ALL THE THINGS HE DID TO US?"

"You and Sam needed discipline." My mother said quietly. Daryl came flying out of the front door, but stopped when he saw us.

"DISCIPLINE? YA CALL THAT DISCIPLINE? YA BOTH BEAT THE SHIT OUTTA US THEN HE TRIED TO RAPE ME!" I screamed. I could see Rick and the others running toward us.

"YOU DESERVED IT!" Katherine yelled. I stared at her, shocked. "Always running around the house in those cut off shorts, those skimpy tops-"

"I WAS SIXTEEN! Dressed like everyone my age... How could you say that? I deserved it?" I was crying again.

"Spencer, STOP! Put the gun down! What is ya problem?" Sam yelled at me.

"Sam? How... Why?" I looked at him. "Why'er ya defendin' her?"

"You gotta gun pointed at our mother's face! What am I s'posed to do?" Sam yelled.

"Do ya not hear what she's sayin' to me?" I asked quietly, just looking at Sam.

"In the past Spencer, she's different. Stop startin' with her!" Sam demanded. I kept my gun on Katherine, but glared at Sam.

"Ya SHUT THE FUCK UP, SAM!" I screamed. "Ya don't even know what she jus' said to me! Talkin' 'bout Daryl and-"

"Jus' let it go!" Sam was nearly yelling again.

"Give me ya gun, girl." Daryl's voice was soothing in my ears as he stepped forward and grabbed my gun. He clicked the safety on and gently tucked it back into the waist band of my jeans. Daryl looked at my mother and Sam. "Don't look at'er, don't talk to'er, jus' leave'er the hell alone." Daryl snarled at them.

"Who the hell ya think you are anyway?" Sam stepped forward. Daryl met the challenge, but Rick stopped them.

"Sam, listen to me." Rick stated firmly. "Daryl says? It goes, got it? Spencer says, it goes. Following me here? You are part of this group, only because Spencer hasn't asked me to throw you out. Don't think I won't. Spencer and Daryl were here first, and we haven't had problems until you two show up."

"I don't know what she has told you, but-" My mother spoke up trying to act innocent.

"She didn't have to tell me anything. I used to be a cop. All I gotta do is look at you." Rick said and that shut her up. Daryl led me away from them, walking towards our tent. I held onto his arm tightly, and when we reached the tent I ducked inside. Sitting down on the floor, I began to cry again.

Daryl pulled me close to him, and I held onto him as I cried. I drifted off for a few hours, but awoke when the sun began rising. Daryl was beside me, holding me. Rolling over to face him, I put a hand to his face. Daryl opened his eyes, then pulled me closer. He was so warm, and I wanted to freeze time. _Stay like this forever_.

"He's gone." I whispered, and Daryl shook his head.

"Funeral's soon...Gun shot an' all that yellin' last night might've attracted walkers. Better get the others an' go check the area." Daryl said, standing up. He offered his hand out to me. "Good way to blow off some steam."

"I'm in." I said, taking his hand. Once out of the tent, I started to walk down toward camp. But Daryl held onto my hand, pulling me back toward him. His face was close to mine, and his blue eyes looked sad.

"Jus' wanned to say I'm sorry." Daryl spoke gently. "Know ya loved Dale."

"Called 'em 'Dad' once..." I smiled. "Never even called my own father dad." Daryl pulled me closer and put his hand to my face.

"Let's go down to the grave." He said. I nodded and leaned forward, pecking him on the mouth. He looked stunned, but recovered quickly, walking beside me down to the camp area. Everyone gathered at Dale's grave, and Rick decided to speak on his behalf. Daryl stood close to me and Cheyenne.

"Dale could get under your skin. He sure got under mine. 'Cause he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought... How he felt.. That kinda honesty is rare. And brave. Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale. He'd be lookin' back at me with that look he had." Rick spoke, and I noticed Carl crying. "We've all seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us..the truth. Who we really are. In the end he was takin' about losing our humanity. He said this group is broken. The best way to honor him is to un-break it, set aside our differences and pull together. Stop feeling sorry for ourselves, take control of our lives. Our safety, our future. We're not broken, we're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

T-Dog, Andrea, and Shane decided to go along with us. Shane drove, Andrea sitting in the passenger seat. Daryl, T-Dog, and I were in the back of the truck. We drove down a dirt road in silence Once we reached the far end of the last field, we parked the truck and followed Daryl into the woods. Daryl whistled when he found tracks, and we kept going. Coming upon a walker, Daryl killed it with ease, and we walked back to the truck, going further into the last field. Walkers were out there. Not too many, just enough we could handle easily.

I held on tight to the pick axe in my hands. Jumping from the back of the truck, I lost focus on everything else but the walker in my sight. He came stumbling forward, and I kicked it hard. The walker stumbled backward onto the ground and I brought the pick axe down hard, slamming it through the walker's forehead.

Shane began beating one of the walkers, and everyone began kicking it. _This,_ I kicked. _Is,_ I kicked it again._ For Dale!_ I kicked it hard in the ribs. I backed away, and Shane brought the shovel down hard. Brains and blood oozed from the smashed opened head. No one said a word, and we rode back to the farm in silence. Once parked, Daryl held his hand out, and I took it, jumping from the back of the truck.

"It'll be tight. Fourteen people in one house." Rick looked at Hershel.

"Don't worry about that." Hershel said as Daryl and I walked up. "With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up..."

"With fifty headed cattle on the property, we may as well be ringin' the damn dinnerbell." Maggie explained, looking at Rick.

"She's right." Hershel nodded. "We shoulda moved you in a while ago."

"All right, let's move the vehicles next to each of the doors, facin' out toward the road." Rick began giving orders to make lookouts in the loft and on the windmill. T-Dog and Daryl were given double watch duty. Rick told Shane to make shifts, and then later Rick and Daryl would go take Randall off sight somewhere and turn him loose. Shane didn't look too thrilled.

Shay and I packed up the tent and headed toward the house with the others. Looking around for Cheyenne, the noise of Daryl's motorcycle caught my attention. Looking over, I saw Daryl with Cheyenne in front of him, riding toward the house. Bumping Shay, she looked and grinned at the sight. Cheyenne's hair was blowing as she smiled.

Everyone was running around trying to unpack things and move into the house. Maggie and Hershel were offering rooms, and I decided to throw my sleeping bag under the dining table. Shay and Cheyenne's sleeping bag was set up in the living room. Happy with our work, I walked outside and stood on the porch, when something caught my eye.

Carl and Cheyenne were off in the distance, walking toward Shane. The two walked up to him, and then began walking away. Shane must have said something, because the two kids scurried back over to him. Carl pulled something out from his jeans and handed it to Shane. Cheyenne just stood beside Carl as he talked to Shane. Then, Carl stalked off with Cheyenne following right beside him.

_Huh..._ I watched as Carl and Cheyenne walked up the stairs and went inside, not even saying two words to me. Deciding that Cheyenne would tell me when she was ready, I walked off of the porch and began trudging around the house. Watching my surroundings, I looked for any sign of walkers. Nothing.

Hearing a car, I lifted my head to see Shane heading out to the windmill. There were boards in the back of the vehicle, and I realized that he was about to start building a watch platform up on the windmill. Just like Rick said to do. Turning to keep walking the perimeter of the house, I nearly ran smack into Daryl.

"God, Daryl!" I took a step back. "Sure good for sneakin' up on folks."

"Wanna come with me to the barn? Gotta set up a lookout from the loft." Daryl gave me a smirk.

"Yea, I'll come with." I smiled lightly, and we began walking toward the barn. Once there, we climbed up the loft, ignoring Randall's nonsense. Daryl began working on the barn, and I sat down looking out toward the windmill. _Thud, thud, thud, thud._ Daryl hammered away. I kept quiet, seeing Lori walking down toward the windmill. "Ah, here we go..." I whispered.

"Huh?" Daryl grunted as he let go of the nail in his hand, taking a seat beside me.

"Watch." I said quietly. Daryl looked out at the windmill in silence. Lori walked over to the windmill and I could tell that the two were talking, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Shane began climbing down the windmill tower and walked over to Lori. The two talked for a while, and I glanced over at Daryl. "See?"

"Think she's fuckin' with his head?" Daryl asked.

"Dunno... Maybe unintentionally." I replied quietly.

"Hm." Daryl grunted as Lori walked away from Shane. Daryl stood up from the roof. "Women. All ya gotta way of knowin' jus' when to spy."

"Wasn't spyin'!" I giggled, but then the giggle faded. "Truly am worried. Shane ain't exactly Mr. Sane. Feel like every time Lori says somethin' to him, he jus' goes 'round doin' stupid shit."

"Rick'll handle it. Gotta go talk to him now, 'bout Randall." Daryl said, and I stood up.

"Guess I'd better go with ya." I mumbled, and Daryl began climbing down the loft ladder, me climbing down after. I felt his hand on my back before my feet touched the ground and I smiled. "Thanks, Dixon." I cooed. Daryl gave me a snort.

"Quit tryin' to be all sexy. Get us both in trouble." Daryl mumbled and I burst into laughter as we walked out of the barn.

"Did I miss somethin'?" Rick asked, walking towards us.

"Huh, look'a there. Good thinkin'." I grinned at Daryl, who shook his head.

"What's the plan?" Daryl asked, and Rick had a slight smile on his face.

"Spencer, you help Daryl work on the post up on the loft?" Rick asked, ignoring Daryl's question.

"Uh, nah. Jus' sat up there an' kept him company." I tried not to smile.

"I see..." Rick's smile grew and I felt guilty when I remembered witnessing Lori and Shane's strange talk.

"Imma head over to the house, help Carol with dinner or somethin'." I said quietly, and I walked away, leaving the two men to talk about Randall. They followed behind me, and as I walked inside the house, I could hear the two talking about their plan for dropping Randall off.

"Hey Spencer." Carol smiled, and I smiled back.

"Hey Carol, need help?" I questioned, looking at the stove.

"Oh, honey, no. Thank you, but..." Carol trailed off.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I think you and Rick might need to talk to Carl and Cheyenne.." Carol said quietly.

"Why?" I asked, feeling as if I already knew the answer.

"The two have been... Acting strange." Carol looked out of the window.

"Noticed that too?" I sighed. "Go see what's wrong with 'em." I turned away from the kitchen and walked outside. Seeing Rick, I called out to him.

"Rick!" He turned toward me as I bounded down the stairs and jogged to him.

"Everything all right?" Rick asked as I jogged up to him.

"Dunno, think we need to talk to Carl and Chy." I admitted. "Saw 'em talkin' to Shane earlier today..."

"Shane told me. Carl and Cheyenne went out towards the swamps. Carl took Daryl's gun. The two found a walker stuck in the mud, Carl was gonna shoot it, but it got free and scared him. Same walker that.." Rick hesitated.

"Killed Dale." I finished and Rick nodded. We walked to the barn and climbed the ladder to the loft. When I got to the top, I could see Carl and Cheyenne sitting, looking out at the scene before them. Rick walked over, touching Carl's shoulder. I sat down beside Chy and Carl.

"Mom said you'd be here." Rick spoke to Carl with a gentle tone. He knelt down beside his son. Carl sighed.

"Told her I was takin' look out." Carl said quietly. "Got tired of helpin' out around the house." Rick nodded, then handed Carl the gun.

"Take it." Rick said firmly. Carl and Cheyenne just stared at Rick. "What happened to Dale had nothin' to do with you. Or you, Cheyenne."

"He died, Dad." Carl's voice was sad.

"Yea...yea.. Feel's like there's a lot of that goin' around." Rick put his hand on the back of Carl's neck. "That's why I need you. No more kid stuff. I wish you could have the childhood I had, but that's not gonna happen... People are gonna die. I'm gonna die. Mom.. There's no way you can ever be ready for it. I try to be, but I can't. Best we can do now is avoid it as long as we can. Keep one step ahead. I wish I had somethin' better to say. Somethin', somethin' more profound... My father was good like that. But I'm tired, son. Please take it. Not only do you have to keep yourself safe, but you've got Cheyenne now, too." Rick handed him the gun again, and finally Carl took it. Rick put his arm around Carl, and I pulled Cheyenne into my lap.

"He's right, it ain't either of y'all's fault. An' Carl ya gonna hafta teach Chy to shoot one day. Never know when I'll be gone." I said quietly. Carl looked up at me and nodded. I gave him a small smile. "You're a good boy, Carl. Good like ya Daddy." Rick gave me a thankful smile, and we got the kids up.

Leaving the barn, Cheyenne and Carl walked with me back to the house. Rick trailed off to get Daryl. I was a little worried about Daryl and Rick leaving to let Randall go. While it felt like the right thing to do, it felt wrong to risk people in our group to carry out the mission. Trying to shake the thoughts from my head, I walked the kids up to the porch.

"You two go on in, now. Wash up, get ready to eat." I smiled at the way their eyes lit up when I mentioned food. The two scrambled inside, and I turned to walk away, when Lori's voice caught my attention.

"You sure are good with them." She commented, and I looked back at her.

"Thanks." I shrugged. "Love kids. Carl's a great kid."

"Thank you... He's trying to get used to this world." Lori shook her head. "I don't know if I can."

"Me either... Sad to think this is what Cheyenne will remember most." I looked at the ground. "Goin' to tell Daryl bye." I said quietly, and walked away. Seeing Rick and Daryl walking toward the house, I stopped, waiting for them to get closer. Rick looked past me at Lori, and he went to her. Daryl stopped in front of me.

"Why ya lookin' like that, girl?" Daryl asked, stepping closer. My heart began to beat faster as I looked into his blue eyes.

"Jus' worried 'bout ya." I admitted.

"Don't. Be back before ya miss me." Daryl smirked.

"Miss ya already." I mumbled, and he chuckled.

"Ain't gone yet." He teased.

"Well, for the road..." I leaned in and kissed him. I was surprised he let me, considering anyone could see us. I felt his arms go around me, pulling me closer. He opened his mouth to mine, and when our tongues touched, I shivered. Daryl pulled back looking at me.

"Damn, girl. Need'a go out more often." Daryl had a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Hey lovebirds!" T-Dog walked up, and Daryl let go of me.

"Shuttup." I said playfully, smacking T-Dog on the arm. He grinned at me, before walking over to the truck with us. Daryl was clearing out the back, when T-Dog walked closer to him, handing him a gun.

"Only got so many arrows." T-Dog raised an eyebrow as he handed the gun over to Daryl.

"S'that Dale's gun?" Daryl asked, inspecting the hand gun.

"Yea." T-Dog replied quietly.

"Wish I knew where the hell mine is." Daryl grumbled, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ready?" Rick interrupted.

"Yea.. I'll get the package." T-Dog said, heading for the barn.

"Thanks." Rick called. I helped Rick and Daryl load up what they wanted to take, which wasn't much. Before I could say anything, T-Dog was running toward us.

"He's gone! Randall's gone!" T-Dog yelled.

"The hell?" I looked at Daryl and Rick, and the three of us ran up to the barn with T-Dog. Sure enough, the barn was empty. No sign of Randall anywhere. The rest of the group crowded around outside of the barn, watching. Then, the questions began. Everyone seemed to talk at once, all stating the obvious.

"RICK!" I heard Shane scream. I looked up to see him charging out of the woods, blood pouring from the top of his nose. "RICK!"

"What happened?" Lori called.

"He's armed! He's got my gun!" Shane called to us as he walked up.

"You 'kay?" Carl asked quickly.

"I'm fine! Lil' bastard jus' snuck up on me, clocked me in the face!" Shane explained.

"All right. Hershel, T-Dog! Get everybody back in the house! Glenn, Daryl. Come with us." Rick instructed.

"T!" Shane started forward. "Imma need that gun."

"Just let him go! That was the plan, wasn't it? To just..let him go." Carol looked nervous.

"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here. Not on our front step with a gun!" Rick growled, and they turned toward the woods.

"Don't go out there! You don't know what can happen!" Carol begged.

"Get everybody back in the house! Lock all the doors and stay put!" Rick ordered as they continued walking towards the woods. I turned my head back to the guys walking away, in just enough time to see Daryl look back at me. We locked eyes, then I felt a hand on my arm.

"Spencer, come on!" T-Dog exclaimed. Taking one last glance at Daryl, I ran with T-Dog and the others back to the house. Walking inside the house, I sat down on the floor in the dining room. I felt helpless...scared. Not of Randall, but of knowing that the guys were out there. Daryl was out there...

I called Cheyenne over and we picked out a book. Maggie and Glenn had picked up some things every now and then on supply runs. Books for the kids was one of the few things they were able to snag. Sitting on my sleeping bag, I pulled Cheyenne into my lap and began reading to her.

Time seemed to pass by slowly. Cheyenne ran upstairs to play with Carl. I had moved to the living room to join in with the rest of the group. Lori looked nervous, chewing on her fingers. Maggie's face was etched with worry. Andrea and the others just looked helpless and frustrated.

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Carol asked, looking around the room.

"Think so, wouldn't ya? Randall couldn't've gotten that far. He wasn't in the shape to be runnin' off into the woods." I mumbled.

"I'm beginning to worry, myself. It's getting dark." Hershel commented, looking out of the window. The group began engaging in small talk. Nervous conversation. I sat in silence, fiddling with the side of Daryl's vest. It was warm, and smelled just like him. If they didn't get back soon, I was going to panic.

"I'm going after them." Andrea stood. I jumped up.

"I'll go too. Can't go out there alone." I said.

"Don't." Lori spoke up. "They could be anywhere. And if Randall comes back, we're gonna need both of you here." Suddenly I heard the sound of the screen door open, and footsteps into the house. Turning on my heels, I saw Daryl coming through the door frame, Glenn behind him.

"Rick and Shane ain't back?" Daryl asked, walking over to me.

"No." Lori said.

"We heard a shot." Daryl looked at Lori.

"Maybe they found Randall." Lori suggested.

"We found him." Daryl corrected.

"Is he back in the shed?" Patricia asked.

"He's a walker." Daryl replied. I looked up at him, furrowing my brow.

"Did you find the walker that bit him?" Hershel asked.

"Well, weird thing is, he wasn't bit." Glenn's voice was anxious.

"S'neck was broke." Daryl looked down.

"So he fought back.." Patricia mumbled.

"Thing is, Shane and Randall's tracks were right on top of each other. An' Shane ain't no tracker. So he didn't come up behind him. No, they were together." Daryl explained.

"Would you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane," Lori walked up to Daryl, "and find out what on earth is goin' on?"

"You got it." Daryl said, and Lori grabbed his arm in thanks.

"Be careful." Lori whispered. I wasn't having any of it.

"I'm goin' with you!" I nearly yelled.

"Dunno, girl.." Daryl shook his head. I followed him out onto the porch, and we stopped in our tracks. Andrea and Glenn behind us. In the darkness I could see movement, figures coming toward the house from the woods. There were dozens of them, I couldn't even try to count. This was much more severe than the herd we had encountered on the road.

"Daryl..." I whispered, looking out at the incoming walkers. The others came walking out of the house, walking up to see what we were staring at.

"Patricia, kill the lights." Hershel ordered.

"I'll get the guns." Andrea ran back inside.

"Maybe they'll just pass like the herd on the highway, should we just go inside?" Glenn looked at Daryl.

"Not unless there's a tunnel downstairs I dunno 'bout. Herd that size'll rip the house down." Daryl kept looking out at the field.

"Carl's gone! I can't find Cheyenne either!" Lori's words made my heart drop.

"What?" Daryl turned to face Lori, who looked panicked.

"Gone?" I questioned, staring at her.

"They, they were upstairs, I can't find them anymore." Lori was panicking.

"Maybe they're hiding." Glenn suggested.

"They're supposed to be upstairs! I'm not leavin' without my boy!" Lori was nearly yelling.

"We're not, we're, we're gonna look again! We're gonna find them!" Carol said, running inside with Lori. I ran inside after them, Daryl right behind me. Bounding up the stairs, we tore through the whole house, finding nothing. Shay was looking downstairs, and when I met her at the bottom of the stairs, she shook her head.

"DAMMIT!" I yelled, running back out onto the porch.

"If she's with Carl, she'll be okay." Maggie tried, but I looked at Daryl.

"We gotta find them." I pleaded.

"We will." Daryl looked out at the field again. The walkers were getting closer. Andrea began handing out guns, and Maggie grabbed two, handing one to Glenn.

"Maggie?" Glenn looked at her strangely.

"You grow up country, ya pick up a thing or two." Maggie mumbled, loading her gun.

"They got the numbers, it's no use." Daryl was being brutally honest.

"You can go if ya want." Hershel said to us all.

"Ya gonna take 'em all on?" Daryl asked. I looked at Hershel.

"We have guns, we have cars." Hershel pumped the shotgun.

"Kill as many as we can." Andrea nodded. "And we use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm."

"You serious?" Daryl questioned, looking at Hershel.

"This is my farm. I'll die here." Hershel said surely.

"Aight. it's a good of night as any." Daryl said, jumping over the porch rail. I jumped over with him and he looked me in the eye. "Gonna take my bike. Keep an eye open for Chy or Carl. Kill as many as you can. Got ya gun?"

"Got it. We gotta find them, Daryl." I cried.

"We will. Spencer, when ya were fightin' with Katherine, heard ya tell her ya love me... Do you?" Daryl's eyes were locked onto mine.

"Yes." I nodded my head.

"Good. Come on." He grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the motorcycle. We climbed on, and sped off toward the barn.

* * *

**Ohhhh lawd ! Shit jus got real ! It's about to go down ! Haha I hope yall are enjoying this as much as I am ! I am loving every second of writing this story, and the feedback has been AMAZING ! Also, I am planning on filling the gap between the second and third season (the few months they were all over the place before they found the prison) So that should be interesting ! I am so excited to do that part... The reviews are SO FREAKIN AWESOMEEEE ! You guys are awesome, forreal. I hope yall enjoy !**

**~Kaila G.**


	22. Chapter 22

As we rode toward the barn, I began firing at the walkers surrounding us. In the distance, I saw glowing. Squinting, I could see the barn on fire, spreading fast. Daryl pulled up closer, and we both kept firing at walkers, dropping as many as we could. _What if Rick lit the fire? Or Carl?_ My mind raced as I saw Jimmy pull up nearby in the RV. Daryl throttled the motorcycle, moving away from the fence as walkers began trampling it down. Daryl pulled up to the RV.

"Must'a been Rick or Shane that started that fire!" Daryl yelled to Jimmy. "Maybe they're tryin' to get out back. Why don't ya circle 'round?"

"Got it!" Jimmy yelled.

"GO!" Daryl yelled back, and I quickly reloaded my hand gun, shooting more walkers. Daryl sped off again, and I kept looking around as I held onto him. I could see T-Dog flying through the fields, Andrea shooting out of the window. Maggie was speeding through another field, Glenn hanging out of the passenger seat window, shooting walkers as they sped forward.

We were riding near the house, me still shooting walkers down, when something caught my eye. _That Rick? Carl, Chy...?_ I saw three figures moving quickly toward the house. They dodged around walkers, the taller figure shooting the ones too close. I knew I had to get over there, and I had to go quick.

"STOP!" I yelled to Daryl, who immediately slowed down. I jumped off of the motorcycle. "Saw Rick an' the kids! Went toward the house! I'm goin'!"

"Spencer, wait!" Daryl growled at me.

"NO! COVER ME!" I yelled to him, and took off running toward the house. I raised my gun as I ran, stopping to shoot three walkers stumbling toward me. _BAM, BAM, BAM._ They dropped and I kept running. Reaching the house, I ran around the side to see Rick walking toward Hershel. There was a walker behind him, but the older man was in a blind rage, shooting the walkers that came anywhere near the house. Rick lifted his gun and shot the walker just before it reached Hershel. I ran over quickly.

"CHY!" I screamed and she jerked her head over at me. She ran to me, grabbing my leg. Rick whipped his head up to see me, and I pointed my gun at incoming walkers, trying to keep them from getting closer. I began firing.

"Where's Lori, did you see Lori?" Rick asked.

"I dunno what happened, Rick. They just keep coming!" Hershel replied. "It's like a plague, they're everywhere!"

"LORI! DID YOU SEE HER?" Rick yelled.

"NO!" Hershel shook his head.

"We have to go! Find Mom and the others." Rick said to Carl, as he lifted his gun and shot a nearby walker.

"It's my farm!" Hershel cried.

"NOT ANYMORE!" Rick grabbed him, pulling him away.

"WAIT!" I screamed, looking around for Daryl. _Daryl, where are ya?_ I kept looking when Rick grabbed my shirt with his other hand.

"LET'S GO, SPENCER!" Rick was screaming in my ear. I grabbed Cheyenne's hand and we ran toward the car. _Shay, Sam... Where they at?_ I was looking around frantically, seeing no sign of anyone.

"COME ON!" Rick yelled.

"COME ON!" Hershel was still screaming at the walkers as Rick shot another one down. Hershel stopped and hit one with his shot gun.

"LET'S GO! COME ON!" Rick yelled. Carl jumped into the passenger seat. I shoved Cheyenne into the truck, Carl leaning over into the back, grabbing her hand and pulling her over to him. I jumped in and slammed the door shut as Hershel climbed into the back on the other side.

"GO!" I yelled, looking out of my window for any sign of Daryl. Rick put the car in drive and we sped toward the dirt road leading off the farm. He was driving too fast for me to see anything clearly in the darkness. "Wait, stop! Let me out!"

"What? NO!" Rick shook his head.

"YES! Take the kids an' go! I gotta find Daryl!" I pleaded.

"Spencer, no!" Hershel agreed with Rick.

"They'll be at the highway." Rick assured. I hung my head, crying. Looking back at the window, my eyes darted around the dark surrounding us. Nothing. I saw Rick's arm reach out and touch Carl on the shoulder. Leaning around in the back seat, I looked out of the back window. Walkers were everywhere, the farm overrun. I felt Cheyenne grab my hand as silent tears fell down my face. The barn was completely up in flames... Everything, gone.

We rode in silence, and the sun began coming up. Rick pulled out onto a main road, and I instantly realized where we were. The highway we had lost Sophia on. I looked ahead, seeing the traffic snarl that had trapped us so long ago. The car we had painted for Sophia, along with the supplies we had left, came into view. Rick parked the truck and we all got out.

"W-well where's Mom? You said she'd be here!" Carl demanded, as we walked away from our vehicle. "We gotta go back for her."

"Carl.." Rick held up his hand.

"NO! Why, why are we running? What are you doing? It, it's Mom.. We need to get her!" Carl kept mumbling.

"Shhhh. You need to be quiet." Rick whispered, putting a hand on Carl's shoulder. "All right? Please."

"Please... It's Mom." Carl pleaded. Rick knelt down.

"Carl listen-" Rick started.

"No!" Carl whimpered, pulling away from him and stalking off toward the cars. Rick started to follow after him.

"Rick." Hershel's voice stopped him. "You got to get your boy to safety. Spencer, you got to get Cheyenne out of here. I'll wait here for my girls and the others. I know a few places. We'll meet up at some of 'em later."

"Where? Where's safe?" Rick asked. "We're not splittin' up."

"Please.. Keep your children safe. I'll hide in one of the cars. If a walker gets me, so be it. I've lost my farm. I've lost my wife, and maybe my daughters."

"You don't know what. They'll be here." Rick said surely.

"And you don't know that." Hershel argued.

"You're a man of God." Rick whispered harshly. "Have some faith!" I let go of Cheyenne so she could run over to Carl.

"They'll be here. They hafta." I nodded, agreeing with Rick. "I ain't leavin' without 'em."

"I can't profess to understand God's plan. But Christ promised a resurrection of the dead. I jus' thought he had somethin'...a little different in mind." We were all three silent for a moment.

"We stick together." Rick ordered, walking away to check on the kids. I looked at Hershel.

"Can't believe they're gone. I jus' can't. We hafta stay, Rick's right. They'll be here." I said surely, though there were tears in my eyes.

"Hey! Walker!" Rick whispered, motioning for us to get down. Hershel and I ducked and ran quietly over to the vehicle, crouching down beside Rick and the kids. The walker staggered right by us, oblivious to the fact that we were on the other side of the vehicle.

"Okay, come, come, come!" Rick waved for us to follow him around the vehicle. The walker kept going forward, stumbling up the road.

"I don't know how much longer we can stay here." Hershel admitted. I looked at Rick, who was right beside me.

'I-I'm not leavin' without Mom." Carl whispered.

"I'm waitin' for Shay, Sam.. Daryl. Ain't leavin' without Daryl." I whispered, looking at Rick.

"So we're jus' gonna walk away? What if my wife, your-your girls are still out there? How do we live with that?" Rick asked Hershel.

"You both only have one concern now. Jus' one. Keeping them alive." Hershel looked down at Carl and Cheyenne. "Nature may be throwing us a curve ball, but that law is still true." Rick looked at me, and I could see sadness in his eyes. _No, no, no... We can't leave!_ My mind screamed. But I knew Hershel was right. The kids were our number one priority at this point. Always had been.

"Carl..." Rick knelt down in front if his son, and looked at the ground as he tried to gather his words. He looked back up. "It's not safe here. I'm sorry... We'll-"

I heard it. The sound of an engine was coming closer. Not just any engine, but the clear sound of a motorcycle. Rick stopped, and all of us looked over as the roar of the motorcycle came closer. Daryl came into view, riding toward us with Carol on the back. I let out a sob, and tears sprung to my eyes, seeing him alive._ Thank, God. Thank, God... Daryl!_

"Daryl!" I yelped, not able told hold it back.

I saw Carol look back, and then within seconds, another vehicle came into view. Squinting, I could see Glenn driving and Maggie in the passenger seat. Sam was in the back. Then the blue truck, carrying T-Dog, Beth, and Lori... My mother. I expected another vehicle, but saw nothing else, as we ran to where the rest of the group was parking. _Must'a missed somethin'... Where's Shay?_

Rick reached Daryl first, the two slapping hands in a quick shake. I saw Maggie running toward Hershel. Lori jumped from the truck yelling when she saw Carl. I smiled at Sam when he stepped out of the car, and he smiled back. Then, I turned, and Daryl was right in front of me.

"Spencer." He looked at me, and over at Cheyenne, who ran to him. Daryl picked her up, and she held on tight. I wiped my tears away and stepped up to him. He sat Cheyenne down and I grabbed him, holding on, never wanting to let go. Daryl squeezed me back, and didn't let go. "Good God, girl." He whispered in my ear, and I let out a small chuckle.

"Where'd you find everyone?" Rick asked, letting go of Lori and Carl.

"S'this guy's tail lights zig-zaggin' all over the road. Figured he had to be Asian, drivin' like that." Daryl said, letting go of me. Glenn began grinning, and I laughed.

"Good one." Glenn nodded, still smiling.

"Where's the rest of us?" Daryl asked.

"We're the only ones who's made it so far." Rick replied, looking at us.

"Shane?" Lori asked, standing up. Rick shook his head no.

"Andrea?" Glenn's voice was quiet.

"She saved me, then I lost her." Carol spoke up.

"We saw her go down." T-Dog said sadly.

"Patricia?" Hershel asked.

"They got her too." Beth cried. "Took her right from me. I.. I was holdin' onto her, Daddy, but she jus'..." She couldn't finish as she cried. Beth looked up. "What about Jimmy, did ya see Jimmy?"

"He was in the RV. He got overrun." Rick gave Beth and Hershel a sorrowful glance.

"You definitely saw Andrea?" Carol asked.

"An'... An' Shay? Anyone see Shay?" I looked around.

"There were walkers everywhere..." Lori looked at Carol and then at me.

"Did you see them?" Carol asked, more firmly this time.

"Imma go back." Daryl started to get on his motorcycle.

"No." Rick ordered, and I looked up at him.

"Can't jus' leave 'em." Daryl argued.

"Well, we don't even know they're there." Lori admitted.

"I'll go back with you." I looked at Daryl. "Gotta find Shay." I insisted.

"They aren't there. They aren't. They're somewhere else, or they're dead. There's no way to find them." Rick argued back.

"So we're not even gonna look for them?" Glenn asked, and I could tell he was getting angry. Suddenly I noticed the walker that had passed by us on the road had come back. He was staggering forward, coming closer to the group.

"We gotta keep movin'. There've been walkers crawlin' all over here." Rick said.

"I say head east." T-Dog advised.

"Stay off the main roads." Daryl growled, walking over to the motorcycle and grabbing his crossbow. "Bigger the roads, the more walkers, more assholes like this one. I got 'em." He shot the walker down and retrieved the arrow.

"All right. Everyone get in vehicles. We'll leave the truck. Carol, Cheyenne, Sam, and Katherine can ride with us. Our vehicle's got the room. Hershel, Beth, T, Maggie, and Glenn take the other. Daryl, Spencer?" Rick looked at us.

"Got it." I said numbly. Walking over to the motorcycle, I waited for Daryl to get seated, then I climbed on after him. We followed Rick's vehicle onto the road, the others behind us. Once we hit the highway, Daryl passed Rick. Cheyenne and Carl gave us a wave, and I waved back. Rick attempted a smile, but it was a sad one. Sighing, I leaned on Daryl's back, pressing my head against his shoulder blade. I watched as fields and trees flew by, my vision becoming blurry.

_Shay...Andrea, I'm sorry_. I cried, burying myself closer against Daryl's body as we drove along the empty, dead highway. _How could we jus' leave 'em? How could Rick... Oh, maybe he's right. He's always right, ain't he? Goin' back would lead us no where. If Shay an' Andrea escaped, they were far from the farm by now..._ I sighed.

We were on a small road, guard rails appearing on the sides. I heard a horn, and Daryl began slowing to a stop. I looked back to see the others stopping and opening their doors to get out. Daryl turned off the motorcycle, and looked back. I had turned my head to face him, and he glanced at me, looking into my eyes.

"Why ya been cryin'?" He whispered.

"Sad." I said quietly.

"Be aight, girl." Daryl assured, as Rick came walking up. "You out?"

"Runnin' on fumes." Rick replied to Daryl's question.

"We can't stay here." Maggie said, gun in hand.

"We can't all fit in one car." Glenn was watching Rick.

"We'll have to make a run for gas in the morning." Rick instructed.

"Spend the night here?" Carol asked.

"I'm freezing!" Carl exclaimed.

"We'll build a fire, yea?" Lori asked, as Rick walked over and gave Carl his jacket. Cheyenne had on the jacket I had found for her, and it looked too big.

"Anybody goin' out lookin' for firewood, stay close. Only got so many arrows, how you doin' on ammo?" Daryl asked Rick.

"Not enough." Rick admitted.

"Well we can't just sit here with our asses hangin' out." Maggie said.

"Watch your mouth." Hershel warned. "Everyone stop panickin', listen to Rick."

"All right, we'll set up a perimeter. In the mornin' we'll find gas and some supplies. We'll keep pushing on." Rick planned.

"Glenn and I can go make a run now, try an' scrunge up some gas." Maggie offered.

"No, we stay together." Rick raised a hand, trying to calm her down. "God forbid somethin' happens and people get stranded without a car."

"Rick, we're stranded now." Glenn said quietly.

"I know it looks bad." Rick agreed. "We've all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other... I wasn't sure, I really wasn't. But we did. We're together. We keep it that way. We'll find shelter somewhere, there's gotta be a place."

"Rick, look around." Glenn said. "Okay, there's walkers everywhere! They're migrating or something."

"There's gotta be a place, not-not where we just hole up. But we.. Fortify. Hunker down, pull ouselves together. Build a life for each other. I know that it's out there, we just have to find it!" Rick argued.

"Even if we do find a place we think is safe, we can never be sure for how long. Look what happened with the farm. We fooled ourselves into thinkin' that was safe." Maggie explained to Rick.

"We won't make that mistake again." Hershel assured.

"We'll make camp tonight, over there." Rick pointed to a stone structure. "Get on the road at the break of day."

"Does this feel right to you?" Carol walked up to Daryl and I.

"What if walkers come through here or another group like Randall's?" Beth asked.

"You know I found Randall, right?" Daryl asked, looking at Rick. "He'd turned, but he wasn't bit." Rick looked away from us.

"How is that possible?" Beth asked, staring up at Rick with questioning eyes.

"Wait, what the hell happened?" Lori asked.

"Shane killed Randall. Jus' like he always wanned to." Daryl answered.

"And then the herd got him?" Lori questioned Rick.

"We're all infected." Rick said quietly. _What?_ Everything seemed to freeze, time seemed to slow down. I gaped at Rick, trying to process what he had just said. _We're...infected?_

"What?" Daryl's voice kicked everything back into play.

"At the CDC, Jenner told me... Whatever it is, we all carry it." Rick explained. Daryl turned away from us and walked over to the guard rail.

"And you never said anything?" Carol asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" Rick asked.

"You knew this whole time." Glenn's voice sounded hurt. Daryl was back at my side.

"How could I have known for sure? You saw how crazy that ma-" Rick was interrupted.

"That is not your call. Okay, when I found out about the walkers in the barn, I told for the good of everyone." Glenn argued.

"Well I thought it best if people didn't know." Rick said, and there was silence.

"He's right." I spoke up, and everyone looked at me as if I were crazy. "All too fresh, we wasn't used to the world then. We all woulda panicked." No one said anything, and Rick walked away. Lori left Carl with Hershel and followed him. Daryl walked away toward the woods and I went after him.

"Ya really think that?" Daryl growled, staring at me.

"Yea. I do." I replied simply, as we kept walking.

"So either way, we're all fucked." Daryl stated.

"That we are." I nodded. "Means no matter what, if we die, we become one of 'em. It's like a virus... Or disease."

"What the hell were ya thinkin'?" Daryl growled at me, suddenly in front of me. He grabbed my shoulders. "Runnin' off like that? Rick got 'em! He got the kids. Coulda got ya self killed!"

"I... I didn't know what to do." I said quietly, as the tears sprung into my eyes. "Cheyenne was out there, Daryl. She was out there an' I had to find'er... I tried to go back for you, but Rick wouldn't let me."

"This ain't 'bout me! Damn right he didn't let ya! It's 'bout you. Keepin' you an' Chy safe. Rick had'er. Coulda got ya self killed." Daryl's voice was rough.

"I shoulda stayed when Rick left. I shoulda stayed an' got Andrea an' Shay." I whispered.

"No, don't do that." Daryl shook his head. "Nothin' ya coulda done."

"Don't believe that." I said, looking out towards the road. I could see Lori and Rick talking.

"I'm sorry 'bout Shay." Daryl spoke softly this time. "But don't ever do that 'gain. Scared the shit outta me."

"You ain't scared of nothin'." I said with a slight smile. I saw Lori push Rick away and stalk off. Daryl shook his head, and put a finger under my chin. He tilted my head upward to him.

"Scared of losin' you." Daryl said gruffly. I said nothing, only stared back into his eyes. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stood on my tip toes and kissed him. Pressing my mouth to his, I felt his arms snake around my waist, pulling me closer. His tongue touched mine briefly, then he pulled back a little, but his mouth was still against mine. Daryl let the kiss linger a moment, before letting go of me.

"Gotta get firewood." I mumbled hoarsely, and Daryl shook his head. We walked around quietly, picking up sticks and thick branches that we could burn. By the time we left the woods, it was getting dark.

We had all gathered more than enough wood to burn. Daryl made a small fire, and Rick began assigning watch duties. I noticed that Lori kept glaring at Rick as if he was the plague coming down on her. Once the fire was started, everyone sat around it trying to keep warm. Daryl sat beside me, and I noticed Carol walk over and sit on the other side of him. I instinctively hooked my arm though his, pulling him closer.

"Cold?" Daryl whispered.

"A lil'." I said truthfully. Cheyenne was sitting between us, curled up half on my lap.

"We're not safe with him." Carol said out of no where, looking at Daryl. "Keepin' somethin' like that from us? Why do you need him? He's just gonna pull you down."

"Nah, Rick's done all right by me." Daryl's voice was quiet as he spoke.

"He's right. Rick's a good man." I whispered.

"You're his henchman." Carol kept on. "And Imma burden. We deserve better."

"Whatta ya want?" Daryl asked, annoyed. I raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"A man of honor." Carol mumbled.

"Rick has honor." Daryl growled.

"I think we should take our chances." Maggie said, looking at Glenn.

"Ya crazy?" I asked, glaring at her.

"Don't be foolish." Hershel agreed. "There's no food, no fuel, no ammo." _CRACK_. A loud noise coming from the woods made me jump.

"What was that?" Beth asked.

"Could be anything." Daryl said surely, standing up. I pulled Cheyenne closer. "Could be a raccoon, could be opposum."

"A walker." Glenn spoke up.

"We need to leave!" Carol said, sounding frantic. "I mean, what are waitin' for?"

"I agree with Carol." Sam shook his head, standing up.

"Which way?" Glenn asked.

"It came from over there." Maggie was looking in the direction the noise had come from, her gun ready.

"Back from where we came." Beth said.

"Yea." Maggie agreed.

"Last thing we need is for everyone to be runnin' off in the dark." Rick growled. "We don't have the vehicles, no one's travelin' on foot."

"We can't jus' go. We need'a plan." I agreed with Rick.

"Don't panic." Hershel told Maggie.

"I'm not. I'm not sittin' here waitin' for another herd to blow through. We need to move, now." Maggie said.

"Yea? An' go where?" I shot.

"No one is goin' anywhere." Rick ordered.

"Do something." Carol hissed.

"I am doin' somethin'!" Rick said harshly. "I'm keepin' this group together, alive! I been doin' that all along, no matter what. I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people, for Christ's sake! You saw what he was like. How he pushed me. How he compromised us... How he threatened us. He staged the whole Randall thing. Led me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice! He was my friend, but he came after me." Carl grabbed Lori, crying. "My hands are clean... Maybe you people are better off without me. Go 'head. I say there's a place for us, but maybe-maybe it's just another pipe dream. Maybe... Maybe I'm foolin' myself again. Why, why don't you go and find out yourself? Send me a post card! Go on, there's the door. You can do better. Let's see how far you get... No takers? Fine. But get one thing straight. You're stayin'. This isn't a democracy anymore."

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**Hell yea ! That was an adrenaline rush to write ! Haha I hope yall enjoy this chapter and be ready for what's to come... Lots of runnin around coming up until I can get my hands on season 3 ! Daryl and Spencer are cuties haha... Well as always the feedback is crazy AMAZING ! The reviews are GREATLY APPRECIATED ! Readers, yall are wonderful !**

**~Kaila G.**


	23. Chapter 23

That night, I sat by the fire, holding a sleeping Cheyenne. Daryl, T-Dog, Glenn, and Rick took turns keeping watch. Carol offered to stay with Cheyenne so I could get up and stretch my legs. Walking away from the camp site, I walked past the wall toward the woods. Though dark still, the sky was turning from black to dark blue. Morning was coming soon, which meant we'd be on the move again.

Standing by the edge of the woods, I kept my eyes on my surroundings, waiting. For movement. For a sound. Ever since we had stopped on the road, I'd been hoping that Andrea and Shay would come out of the woods, alive. It seemed like wishful thinking. A slim chance of that happening. I felt over come with dread and sadness.

_I'm so sorry. Andrea...Shay. I loved ya both, so much. Shay..ya been there for me for so long. Tried so hard to keep ya alive. Now you're gone... I dunno if I'll ever see ya 'gain, alive anyway. If you're out there, hope you an' Andrea found each other. Y'all will survive together...Please find each other. Please be alive._ I could feel the tears in my eyes.

"Ya aight?" Daryl's voice made me whirl around to face him.

"Yea." I breathed, my heart racing. "Sneakin' up on folks.."

"An' Chy?" Daryl asked. I looked at the ground.

"Dunno, really. Cried herself to sleep. Carol's got'er now. Maybe she'll talk when she wakes up." I said quietly.

"Caught some squirrel." Daryl offered. "Least we got us some breakfast."

"Thanks. We're gonna need it... Daryl? Whatta we do now?" I asked, looking up at his face.

"Keep goin'." Daryl replied firmly.

"Yea? Where we got to go? No where." Shaking my head, I kicked the ground. "We left 'em."

"Couldn't go back. Stop, Spencer." Daryl grabbed my shoulders. "Don't do that to ya self. Won't do nothin' good for ya."

"Cheyenne. She's first." I said numbly. "Chy comes first."

"Right." Daryl nodded.

"Can't keep'er safe forever." I looked out toward the woods. "Never gonna stop, is it? They jus' gonna keep comin' and comin' for us."

"Need'a teach'er to shoot." Daryl said gruffly. "Know she's young. Still."

"We ain't got no place to teach'er." I looked around at the camp site. "We ain't got nothin'."

"Yea, well. We're gonna find somethin'." Daryl assured me. He took my hand in his and looked into my eyes. Looking into his eyes, I could see something of assurance. Something that told me everything was going to be okay. I squeezed his hand and we walked back toward camp. Rick walked toward us from the wall, his face looking empty.

"We need gas. Supplies. The others are scared outta their minds. We aren't separating, it's not an option. I checked the map, and there's a small town a few miles south of here. We're goin'." Rick instructed. I looked at Daryl, who shook his head in agreement. The three of us walked over to the others and I walked to Cheyenne.

"Chy?" I said gently, shaking her. "Wake up, hun."

"What?" Cheyenne croaked groggily, opening her eyes.

"Gotta get up." I said quietly.

"Did they find us?" Cheyenne jumped up in panic.

"No, no. Nothin' like that. Jus' time to move on." I explained, wishing I could take away the fear in her eyes. She relaxed and stood up, stretching.

"Listen up, everyone. There's a town a few miles south of here. We're goin'. Gonna go see how bad it is there, and if we can find a safe place to hole up for bit. At least until we can find somewhere stable. Daryl," Rick looked over at Daryl, "can you go back to the main road and siphon some gas?"

"You got it." Daryl began walking toward his motorcycle.

"Hey, need some help?" I asked, but Rick stopped me.

"Daryl's fine on his own. I need a good shooter here, just in case." Rick said firmly. I looked over at Daryl.

"He's right. Stay." Daryl agreed. I nodded and grabbed Cheyenne, pulling her close. I watched as Daryl started the motorcycle and took off toward the direction we had come from. Sighing, I looked at Carol.

"Daryl caught some squirrel." I mentioned.

"Yes, I'm gonna start on that right now." Carol began buzzing around, grabbing up sticks to cook the meat with. I sat down near the fire, Cheyenne in my lap.

"You aight?" I asked, looking at her.

"Shay's dead, ain't she." Cheyenne didn't ask, but more stated. "Jus' like Rick said. Her and Andrea, they're dead or they ain't at the farm anymore."

"Knowin' Shay an' Andrea, maybe they made it off the farm together." I tried to sound hopeful.

"Dunno. We can barely save ourselves. Doubt the two of them made it. An' if they did get off the farm, they won't make it long alone... That's what it is. Them 'gainst us. An' there's way more of them. Rick was right. We're all gonna die 'ventually. Jus' try to survive as long as we can." Cheyenne looked up at me, and I realized the sad truth.

Her eyes were no longer bright blue and full of excitement. Cheyenne's little blue eyes were dull and tired. She had dark circles underneath her eyes. Of course, she had already been small, I mean she was only five, but she had gotten smaller. Skinnier. And she had grown wise beyond her years. The words she had spoken were words that should have come from a grown person.

"Honey..." I trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Ain't nothin' you can say." Cheyenne said softly. "Cause I'm right. I'll be six in three days, ya know."

"What?" I looked at her in shock. "How'd ya know what day it is?" I asked.

"Back at the farm, there was a calendar on the wall. I looked at it, the day before we got attacked. I had five days 'til my birthday." Cheyenne said simply.

"Ya one smart kid, ya know that?" I pulled her close again. "Maybe Daryl an' I can find somethin' for ya."

"No..." Cheyenne shook her head. "Jus' somewhere safe. That's all I want." She stood up from my lap and walked over to Carl. Sitting down beside him, I watched as she took his hand and whispered something to him. He nodded and whispered something back. It was good to know that the kids had each other.

Breakfast was mostly quiet. Carl and Cheyenne talked quietly in whispers. Maggie and Glenn ate near the wall, watching for any signs of walkers. Rick and Lori hadn't spoken since the episode Daryl and I had witnessed in the woods... I ate less than usual, declining the other portion that Carol tried to shove at me.

"Spencer, you sure?" Carol asked, still holding the squirrel meat toward me.

"I'm full." I held up my hand. "I'm sure." I gave a half ass grin, which made Carol smile and turn to Lori.

"Well then, you eat up." Carol instructed. Lori took the meat and glared at me. _What the hell I do now?_ I wondered as she began to eat. The sound of an engine roaring towards us made me jump up. I could hear it in the distance.

"What?" Maggie called, looking at me from the wall.

"Daryl." I said surely.

"Good! We can keep moving now!" Glenn chirped. Daryl's motorcycle came into view, and I felt my heart skip a beat. _Thank God_... I shook my head and walked toward the road. Daryl stopped the motorcycle and began unstrapping the gas cans from the back.

"Everything went good?" I asked, looking him over.

"Yea." He grunted, picking up a gas can and walking over to Rick's vehicle. After filling up both vehicles and Daryl's motorcycle, we all gathered around at the vehicles waiting for Rick's instructions. Rick walked up looking at our patient faces and gave out a small sigh.

"All right. We're gonna try for this small town on the map. Maybe it will be safe enough to board up for the night. If not, we leave immediately. If it's overrun, we won't stay. A few walkers, we'll take them out. Scavenge the area. We need supplies." Rick said, looking off in the distance.

"And if it's not safe? Then what?" Carol asked, her voice full of worry.

"Then we keep moving, try to find somethin' off the map, somewhere like the old camp back near Atlanta." Rick replied.

"We got overrun there." Glenn spoke up.

"We won't stay there long. It will be temporary. Hershel was right. We will not make the same mistake twice." Rick said, and I could hear the annoyance in his voice. "Now let's get goin'."

I watched as everyone began hopping into cars. Riding arrangements remained the same. Katherine gave me a sideways glance before opening the car door and sitting inside, shutting the door behind her. Movement caught my eye, and I saw Sam walking toward me. Daryl was at my side immediately, bristling.

"Spencer... I'm sorry." Sam shook his head as he reached me. I was silent. "I'm sorry 'bout Shay an' Andrea. Sorry 'bout the farm... Sorry 'bout Katherine. I jus'... She was the only thing left, Spence. I know she was bad to us, but she's our mother. Had to try an' protect her. Thought she was different... Thought she changed. But I was wrong, an' I know it. I'm sorry... If you hate me for defendin' her, I understand. I'd hate me, too."

"Don't hate you, Sam." I sighed. "I love ya. An' I always will. C'mere, stupid." I mumbled, grabbing him in a hug. He hugged me back, squeezing me.

"I love you too, Sis." Sam backed away and gave me a grin. "Be careful, huh?"

"Always am." I flashed a thumbs up and turned toward Rick's vehicle. "Chy!" I called to her, and my little blue eyed blonde came running.

"See you later." Cheyenne said bluntly, hugging me.

"See you later. Love ya." I whispered, kissing her head.

"Love you." Cheyenne whispered back. She ran the few steps to Daryl, throwing her arms around his waist. "Bye!"

"Uh.. Bye." Daryl hugged her back with one arm, before she tore away and ran to jump into the vehicle with Carl.

"She's changin', ya know." I stated, watching her go.

"Ain't we all." Daryl mumbled gruffly.

"She said Rick was right. 'Bout Andrea an' Shay. Either they're dead or they ain't at the fam no more. Said she'd doubted they even made it off the farm, an' if they did they won't last long alone. It's them 'gainst us. We're all gonna die 'ventually, jus' tryin' to survive as long as we can. That's what she said." I looked at Daryl for some kind of comfort.

"She said that?" Daryl looked back at me. "An' she's how old?"

"Six in three days." I murmured.

"Huh." Daryl grunted. "Maybe we'll find somethin' for her."

"That's what I said. She told me she didn't want nothin'. Jus' somewhere safe." I said, walking over to Daryl. "Maybe we'll get there some day." Daryl nodded and straddled his motorcycle. I climbed on after him, and waited for Rick's signal. Looking back, I saw Rick stick his hand out the window and give a wave. Vehicles came to life, but were drowned out by Daryl's motorcycle cranking up.

Holding on tight, we rode away from our empty camp. I felt Daryl tense up at my touch, and I loosened my grip some. My thoughts were swirling as we rode along. _What's up with him? He's actin' all..weird. Quiet an' stand offish... Not now. Please, Daryl don't do this now. I need you. I need you more an' you'll ever know. _

Keeping my eyes on the road, I tried to tune out my thoughts, make them go away. The sun was shining bright, but the air was freezing as we rode along the empty road. Snuggling closer to Daryl, I ignored it when he tensed up again. I rested my head on his back and watched as the world passed by.

I don't think I ever had quite gotten used to it. The emptiness. No cars, no people. The roads were bare, maybe a broken down car every great once in a while. Other than that, there was nothing. We saw a couple of walkers out in a field, but nothing more. I lifted my head to see a sign coming up. Squinting, I could barely make out the faded words.

'Feed and Seed. 1 Mile' is what it said. That meant we were close to the town. Looking around, I saw nothing threatening, but that didn't mean a thing. There were a few houses, I assumed were probably empty, along the road. I glanced ahead to see a building coming up.

Rick gave a small honk of his horn, and Daryl pulled off the road into the 'Feed and Seed' parking lot. Glancing around, I kept my eyes on the area, watching for any movement. Rick stepped out of his vehicle and walked over to us. I climbed off the bike, Daryl doing the same. We turned to face Rick who looked tired.

"Well, we're basically here. We take that road," Rick pointed to the left of the 'Feed and Seed', "then take the first right and we'll be in town. Hopefully we'll find somethin' of use. Maybe a night we can spend here."

"Want us to go inside this store an' see if there's anything to eat? Or anything of use?" I asked, looking from Rick to Daryl.

"Yea, go 'head. Just make it a quick as possible." Rick nodded.

"Aight." I turned to Daryl, pulling out my hunting knife. The two of us walked quietly to the building. Daryl opened the door with complete silence, and we crept inside.

The building wasn't huge, but it was small either. Daryl and I stayed close, checking behind any doors. We found no walkers, and once Daryl was sure the store was safe, we split up. Walking around, I quickly realized that this place wasn't going to be much help. I walked down an isle to find a few canned goods. I snatched them up and kept looking around.

Stepping around a corner, I came face to face with Daryl. He had four water bottles in his arms, and gave me a smirk. I grinned, showing him the canned goods I had found. A can of corn, two cans of spaghetti o's with meatballs, and three cans of creamed corn. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"Daryl? You...aight?" I asked quietly as we walked toward the door.

"Fine." Daryl said, his voice actually soft.

"Ya jus'... Actin' weird." I slipped. I squenched up my face, regretting my words.

"I..." Daryl trailed off, suddenly turning towards me. "Dunno how to handle this. You. Dunno how to even begin to understand how I feel the way I do 'bout ya. All I know, s'that when the farm got overrun, I was goin' crazy, Spence. Crazy thinkin' 'bout where ya were. Ya jumped off my motorcycle an' took off into the dark. Thought I'd never see ya 'gain..." Daryl was quiet. I wasn't sure what to say, so I didn't say anything. We walked out of the store and toward Rick. Maggie and Glenn had gotten out, stretching their legs.

"Found some canned goods, ain't much..." I handed them to Rick.

"An' water." Daryl added, as we helped Rick put the supplies in his vehicle.

"Thanks, that will be dinner tonight." Rick gave us a thankful smile. "Remember the directions?"

"Got it!" Daryl called, and we walked back over to the motorcycle. I climbed on after him, leaning against him.

"I'm here, Daryl." I whispered into his ear before he started the engine. The motorcycle came to life, and I thought maybe he didn't hear me. But as soon as we turned right, his hand left the motorcycle handle. Reaching back, he touched the side of my face briefly before he returned his hand back to the handle. So, he had heard me after all.

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**Hey guys sorry for the longggg wait ! This chapter had a lot of meaning to me cause you get to see changes in Cheyenne and in Daryl. He actually opens up a tad bit to Spencer and lets her know that there's somethin big there. Of course he still hasn't busted out the "I love you" yet, but maybe he will one day ! I'm excited to do all the runnin around they went through, cause I get to jus make it up ! I HATED THE WAY SEASON 3 ENDED. I cried like a little baby. UGHHHH I wanted her to make it back to the group and get with Rick :( She fought so hard... I hated it that she died. I will update as soon as I can.**

**~Kaila G.**


	24. Chapter 24

Daryl pulled onto the street and I looked around with slight amusement. The town _was _small. Three small buildings that resembled a type of grocery store, what looked like a barber shop, and a few even smaller buildings along the road. Daryl pulled the motorcycle over, and the others followed our lead. I glanced around as Daryl turned the motorcycle off. Nothing, not a sound.

"Spread out, but do _not_ go far. Last thing we need is to run into another herd and everyone get separated. Try not to use guns. We are low on ammo, almost down to nothin'. Try to use the knives. Execution style. Anything we could use, don't hesitate to grab it. Carl, you're with me." Rick instructed. I took a quick peek at Lori's face to catch the glare she was shooting towards Rick. Without a word, I began walking over to Cheyenne.

"I can watch her." Carol offered, giving me a fragile smile. "You and Daryl will be able to get back quicker. It will be safer." I silently thought it over in my head. Carol was right. All was quiet here. Daryl and I had no clue what we would walk into in these shops. I didn't want to risk Cheyenne.

"Thank you. Jus' please... Keep a look out." I practically pleaded. Carol shook her head and led Cheyenne to the back of the vehicle. I turned back toward Daryl and we walked toward two of the smaller shops. Looking up at the hand painted sign, I noticed a fishing pole and a gun painted onto the wood, with the words 'Little Big Fish N' Hunt'. Walking toward the door, I opened it quietly, Daryl right behind me.

"Wait... Maybe we should split up?" I asked, glancing around.

"Get it done faster." Daryl agreed. "After here." I nodded in agreement and we walked inside. On my toes, I crept around the small store quietly, listening and watching. I grabbed everything I could, shoving it in a bag I had found behind the counter. Mostly knives, but we also found some ammo and a couple of hand guns. The place had been searched and ransacked before we had arrived.

Without waiting for Daryl's approval, I left him in the little shack of a store, moving on to the next building. It was one of the grocery stores, or looked like some sort of small grocery store. _Grocery shack's more like it._ I mumbled in my head. Grabbing the door knob, I twisted it slowly, opening the door as quietly as possible. Hoping that there were no walkers inside, I stepped into the store slowly. Suddenly I was hit with an overwhelming smell, and I instinctively wrinkled my nose.

Sneaking around the counter, I looked down to see nothing. Turning back toward the door, I walked past it and headed for the first isle. I grabbed as much stuff as I could, stuffing it all into the bag I had been using. Canned goods, minor medical supplies. Band aids, rubbing alcohol. I found some 'womanly products', and snatched them up, figuring the girls would be happy. When I rounded the corner, I saw it. Tensing up, I froze in my tracks.

_Hello? Ya gonna get up, 'er what?_ I wondered, my eyes glued to the walker on the floor. It was sitting against the shelf, and I was beginning to think it was dead. Sudden shuffling behind me caused me to whirl around quickly, dropping my bag. Face to face with a walker, I panicked. Jerking my arm up, I let out a slight grunt as I shoved the blade of my knife through its head.

Growling, I heard growling. I snatched my knife out of the rotted head, and turned on my heels to see the walker that was just sitting down, up and stumbling towards me. Its decaying jaws snapped at me as it lurched forward, and I could see its teeth in places I shouldn't where the jaw had rotted off. Feeling sick suddenly, I sprang foward, stabbing the walker in the head.

_Thud_, a light footstep behind me. I turned again letting out a growl, armed raised and ready to strike. A hand grabbed my wrist and I was met by crystal blue eyes. Daryl stared at me, holding onto my arm, my knife only inches from his face. Relaxing, I felt him let go of my wrist, and I dropped my arm.

"The hell's wrong with ya?" I sneered at him, my voice slightly hoarse. "Coulda killed ya!"

"Shouldn't split up." Daryl mumbled, but I saw his face allowing a smirk to crawl along his lips.

"I'm fine on my own." I grumbled, and he huffed out a small chuckle.

"Yer fine on ya own." Daryl repeated, brushing his thumb over my chin. "Jus' shouldn't hafta be." His voice was almost teasing, but had a softness to it. I relaxed, bumping him on the arm with my elbow. The corners of his lips tugged upward. I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his. Maybe I took him by surprise, because he hesitated for a moment. But only for a moment, before kissing me back.

The kiss turned rough quickly, on Daryl's part. I welcomed it, though. Anything Daryl gave me, I welcomed it. His hands snaked down to him hip bones, where he grabbed on and pulled me up, closer to him. My hands were at the back of his neck, as we kissed, his tongue sliding across mine. When his teeth scraped against my bottom lip, we both stopped, pushing away from each other. Panting slightly, I stared at him.

"What..." I trailed off, looking at his face for answers.

"Been wantin' to do that for a while now." Daryl answered simply.

"What?" I asked, wanting to hear him say it.

"Jus' have ya close to me." Daryl muttered, and my heart skipped a beat. I let myself smile, and his eyes lit up at the sight. Wrinkling my nose, I let out a small huff.

"Better get back out there. They'll be gatherin' a search party to come lookin' for us." I grinned and Daryl scoffed. He picked up the bag I dropped and I reached for it.

"Got it." Daryl said, as he was about to sling it over his shoulder.

"Ain't handicapped." I teased, snatching the bag and slinging it over my own shoulder. I turned and walked away from him, hearing him let out a small chuckle. I smiled again, happy to know that, for now, I wasn't being pushed away. For now, Daryl was mine. Not even he himself could deny that.

Walking away from the store, I could hear Daryl's footsteps as he followed behind me. I had noticed how keen my ears had become, picking up sounds I might have missed before. Maybe this new world was teaching me some useful things after all. Or maybe it was just Daryl wearing off on me. I didn't know.

Rick and Carl were walking up with a bag. Maggie and Glenn were leaned against the hood of Rick's vehicle, while Hershel stood in front of them. Everyone else was in the cars, waiting on the verdict. We all looked to Rick, and I knew it must have been difficult on him, all of our questioning eyes boring into his own tired ones.

"Anything useful? Carl and I found a few canned goods. Some water." Rick looked at Daryl and I.

"Hunting equipment, ammo. Few guns. Mostly knives. Spence found some canned goods." Daryl offered, and Rick nodded with an almost satisfied look.

"We found a house over near that little subdivision." Glenn spoke up. "There were a few stragglers, but we took them out. As far as inside the houses go, I don't know how much damage is done."

"Great. We'll go check it out. We aren't stayin' here long, so don't get comfortable. This place ain't stable, and I honestly don't think we could make it here for long. Too open." Rick advised. I understood clearly. He was absolutely right. If we were going to find something permanent, it wouldn't be here.

I caught Sam's eye as I walked back over to the motorcycle with Daryl. He gave me a worried glance, but I ignored it. I knew I must have looked like hell. I hadn't slept in two days, and I felt worse than I probably looked. There was an aching in my stomach from lack of food, and it made me feel sick. Trying to shake the feeling off, my eyes wandered to the array of houses scattered along, forming a little neighborhood. It was like something out of a movie. A sweet little neighborhood, with the white picket fence. I expected to see a man and a woman, with two children, waving a welcome to the neighborhood.

That wasn't this life anymore. This life was empty. No family with picture perfect smiles. No children's laughter. No moving trucks, or worrying about the movers dropping Grandma's expensive vase. No house warming party. No wine filled glass celebration for the new move. No making this a sweet home. Just move in, survive the night, and move on. That was life, now.

Sighing against Daryl's shoulder blades, I lurched forward slightly as we came to a stop. I climbed off the motorcycle, and walked toward the big house. It had to be the one Glenn was talking about. Painted all while, with sky blue shutters. A wrap around porch. Except for the rust stained splatter of old blood near the porch stairs, the house was beautiful. Something on an expensive painting you see in a museum.

Walking up to the house, everyone proceeded with caution. That was the best way to describe the group's actions. Cheyenne was between Daryl and myself. Sam was somewhere behind us, as was Maggie, Hershel, Beth, and Carol. Glenn and Rick were near Daryl. Lori was in the back with the others and Katherine.

"Stay." Daryl whispered to me, and I grabbed Cheyenne's hand, ready to bolt if needed. Keeping my eyes on the houses and yards surrounding us, I watched for any movement. After what seemed like less than five minutes, the guys appeared with relaxed faces.

"All clear." Rick nodded to us. "But remember, as nice as it looks, jus' for tonight. Can't get comfortable. Not here." Everyone seemed to understand, the agreement silent. Walking inside, I noticed a fireplace, and a lot of large pieces of plywood. Whoever had lived here must have been ready to board up the place. I wondered what happened or changed their mind. Thinking back to the blood stain on the porch, I decided not knowing held more comfort.

Carol began busying herself by heating up a few cans of the food we had found. I decided to help her out, walking over to the kitchen I grabbed another pot. Once near the fire place, I emptied a can of beans into the pot and held it over the fire. After switching arms back and forth for what seemed like forever, the beans began to bubble slightly, and I stirred them before transferring the hot pot over to the stove to cool. My arms felt like they were going to fall off. Carol gave me a slight grin, and I returned it with a happy smile.

Glenn and Daryl scavenged through the houses next door and across the street. They came back with a few more food items, and plenty of blankets and pillows. They even scavenged two tents. Not enough, but they could come in handy maybe. At least we had enough food to last us until we could hit another town. Feeling weak and tired, I made a makeshift bed for Cheyenne and let her lay down under the covers while she ate her dinner. Soon, she was finished, and sound asleep.

This time, I ate. I couldn't help myself. I felt so hungry, the sick feeling, the gnawing hunger in my belly was more than I could bear. Eating a fair amount of the canned beans and soup that Carol and I had cooked, my stomach actually felt full. The gnawing pain had disappeared and the hunger was gone for now. For now.

Until another day. Being used to starving was nothing new to most of us. Even Carl and Cheyenne. They had never really had to starve to the point of being in severe pain, but they still knew what hunger felt like. As always, we put the kids before us. If it meant Cheyenne and Carl having dinner, I would gladly go without. No one could understand that unless they were taking care of a child in a world like this. There was no way in hell that any of us would take the kids' food away for our own hunger pains. That included Lori.

Lori had turned hateful towards us. I had decided it was pregnancy hormones as well. But we all knew. She felt like a burden, like she was taking away our things for her own. In a sense, she was. But that wasn't really a burden. She was pregnant. It was just the group doing what we had always done. Put the children first, which meant putting Lori first along with Carl and Cheyenne.

Everything was sifting through my mind at once. The walkers, the barn on fire. Running away from Daryl to find Cheyenne. The fear that I would have to leave the road and never see him again. His lips on mine. Andrea and Shay running through the woods, scared. The grocery store walkers, Daryl standing in my way. How I had came so close to stabbing him. _Thank God he caught my damn hand._ I mumbled in my head.

_Oh, how wonderful it feels. To be in'a house, a huge house. Fireplace cracklin'. Food in our stomachs. Safety for the night. No runnin' through the dark, walkers on my heels. No sittin' in the cold beside a dyin' fire, waitin' on a walker to approach at any time. No worryin' 'bout havin' to bolt for the fear of bein' eaten alive. Jus' comfort of an ol' beautiful house. Sleep. I jus' wanned sleep._

"Need sleep. We'll take watch in a few hours. Rick an' T'er on it, then Maggie an' Glenn. Then us. Try to sleep." Daryl's voice was hushed and soft. Despite the heat from the fireplace, I shivered slightly. But my shivers disappeared when Daryl pressed against me, his breath on my neck. His arm went over my side, and I gave Cheyenne one more glance. She was sleeping soundly under a pile of blankets.

"Sleep, girl." Daryl's whisper was like a lullaby. Feeling safe, if only for a moment, my brain plunged into darkness.

* * *

**Hey guys I am SOOOOOOOOOO sorry for the long update wait ! Been in school an with work... Lawd I been busy as hell ! But school is endin soon, so I might get a lil bit more time to update as much as possible. This chapter was short, but I enjoyed it so much. I had a lot of fun writin it. I hope this update was as wonderful to yall as well. Hope yall enjoyed an more is comin ASAP ! Promise !**

**~Kaila G**


	25. Chapter 25

_Running. I was running through the woods, all alone. The sun was setting, and the forest was becoming dim. Looking around as I ran, I tried to spot a low branch. Maybe I could climb up into a tree for the night. The shuffling and growling behind me kept my feet moving. I pushed myself harder._

_My hand flew to my side. It was cramping something awful as I kept running. Stupid stitch in my side, I cursed my body silently. Keeping my eyes peeled, I glanced around for somewhere, anywhere, to hide. That glance caused me a nice tumble, face planting into the dirt and pine needles. I grabbed my gun, that had dropped beside my head, and turned on my back to face my demons._

_My mouth gaped as walkers surrounded me. With some exaggeration, there must have been a thousand of them. I knew there was no way I would survive. How'd this happen? I asked myself. There were only four of 'em behind me... My eyes locked on the group of walkers coming closer, and I knew what I had to do._

_I wouldn't let the world beat me. Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to cry. Just as the walkers closed in on me, I grabbed my gun and shoved it in my mouth. If I was gonna die, I was dyin' my way, I thought. Daryl came into my mind and I smiled, pulling the trigger._

_Click. No, no, no, NO, NO, NO! My mind went into a frenzy. I let out a blood curdling scream as the walkers pounced._

"Spence.. Wake up. Spencer." I could hear Daryl's voice calling to me. Calling me back to the real world. My eyes popped open, and I looked at him. Reaching my hand up, I touched his face, which was warm. Lori and Carol were staring at us strangely.

"You'er here." I mumbled groggy with sleep, and Daryl raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yea. So I am..." He stared at me, waiting for an answer.

"Bad dream." I mumbled, taking my hand off of his cheek, and throwing the covers off of me.

"Seems to be a lot of those goin' around lately." Carol spoke up.

"Even I have 'em." Lori spoke, and I couldn't hide the shock that she actually acknowledged me. I nodded and gave the two women a thankful smile. My eyes returned to Daryl and then to the empty space where Cheyenne should have been.

"Where's Chy?" I asked, my voice holding worry.

"Rick took her and Carl down to the store areas. He's got Glenn and Maggie with 'em. They're teaching the kids how to look for useful supplies." Carol explained. I couldn't stop the corners of my lips from curving into a tiny smile. Rick was something else.

"Good. Cheyenne needs to learn this stuff." I looked at Daryl, stretching my arms over my head. He glanced around, and then back at me with a smirk. "What?"

"Nothin'." Daryl mumbled, which earned a playful scoff from me. I remembered when we had first arrived at the quarry back near Atlanta. Shane had set up our first supply run and Merle was too fucked up to go. Daryl and I were at each other's throats a bit back then. I smiled at the thought of those days, but my thought turned into a frown.

Nothing was the same. Life seemed so perfect in a destructed world back at the quarry. Merle got left. Then Amy... We lost Amy and that took a chunk of my spirit. Jim and Jacqui. The CDC was amazing for that one night, then it was gone, a dream in flames. Sophia was next, disappeared into the woods, all alone. We nearly got ourselves killed by the herd on the road. Carl getting shot. Finding the farm, at the time our saving grace...

Watching Shane change had actually hurt me a little bit. Or maybe more than I wanted to admit. Thinking back to that first day on the road when I had met the group at the road block, I had liked Shane. He was genuine, and caring. It seemed for everyone. He was always just trying to do the right thing... Then he changed. There was a darkness in his eyes that left you feeling cold and hollow. It was like he had given up on ever trying to be happy again. He had to have Lori. And that obsession was the death of him.

Sophia being found in the barn took another chunk of my spirit. She was so small... We had all tried so hard, especially Daryl and Rick. I had felt so horrible for them, for Carol. It had been one of the worst moments I'd ever had to witness... Then the farm. Losing Patricia was hard on Cheyenne, even though she refused to talk about any of it. She was trying so hard to be strong.

Then Shay and Andrea. They were gone, and that had been the final straw for my mind. I felt what Rick was saying. He was tired of feeling responsible for death, death, death. I felt it too, and I know Daryl did as well. That feeling like you could have done something, but couldn't have known to do it. It was all making me a little crazy inside, but I was holding myself together as best I could...

"Where'd ya go?" Daryl asked in a whisper as he held out a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me to my feet. I looked at the floor, before looking back up at him.

"Everywhere. Past few months. When we first met, everything we been through the past few months. Everyone we lost..." I trailed off, looking out of the window. Daryl bumped my arm with his elbow, and the corners of my lips tugged upward. I looked at him.

"Hershel and T-Dog been upstairs on the roof for'a while. Better give 'em a break." Daryl said, changing the subject.

"Then let's go." I walked past him and headed for the stairs. Feeling Daryl right behind me, a feeling of warmth washed over me. Maybe it was just me reliving the previous night, all snuggled against him. I walked to the first window I saw, seeing T-Dog's big head. Pushing the window open with a creak, I stepped out onto the roof.

"Well if ain't Miss Spencer." T-Dog said teasingly, and I rolled my eyes with a equally teasing smirk. Hershel gave Daryl and I a grin.

"Yepp, it's me." I nodded. "Here to give y'all a break."

"Well, 'bout time." T-Dog joked, and I slapped his arm.

"Git!" I growled playfully, and he threw his hands in the air, side stepping around me towards the window.

"Damn, you get more an' more like Dixon everyday." T-Dog raised an eyebrow, turned to Daryl and stuck out his tongue, before ducking in the window and running off downstairs. Looking at Daryl, he had this strange look on his face, somewhere between a smirk and a slight surprised face, with his eyebrow slightly raised. I burst into laughter and so did Hershel as he stepped halfway through the window.

"If I've learned anything about T-Dog, he's definitely a jokester." Hershel said with a grin, but his face became a bit serious. "But if Daryl's rubbin' off on you, if anything it will make you a better person." And with that, Hershel gave us a nod and cracked the window. I let out a smile and turned toward Daryl.

I knew Daryl wasn't used to the compliments, but I could tell they still had an affect on him. He liked knowing that people appreciated him, whether he was willing to admit it or not. Daryl shook his head and sat down on the roof, a little smile forming on his face. I was about to sit down where I stood, but Daryl patted the space between his legs. Walking over, I plunked down between his legs, leaning my back against his chest.

His arms went around my waist loosely, and I leaned my head back against his collar bone. I began running my fingers up and down his arms slowly, snuggling closer to him as the cold morning air nipped at my skin. The sun was coming up, and I watched as the sun grew brighter in the sky. The neighborhood was quiet, and in that moment I almost forgot about the world we were living in. Everything seemed so nice.

I turned my head towards Daryl's face. My lips brushed against the stuble on his face as I pressed a kiss on his cheek. He turned his head toward mine, our lips meeting. The kiss was simple and soft. My eyes met his, and they seemed to engulf me in all of that blue. I couldn't peel my eyes away from his, and he leaned in to kiss me again when a loud creak made me jump. Turning my body awkwardly to look over Daryl, I saw Carol with two plates.

"Breakfast?" She gave us a forced innocent smile, and I knew she was trying to play it off as if she hadn't seen anything. Standing up, I walked over to the open window, taking the two plates from Carol.

"Thanks." I said, giving her a grin. She only nodded, scurrying away to leave us to our breakfast. I walked back over to Daryl, handing him his plate as I sat back down. Raising my eyes to his face, I noticed his neck was red. A giggle errupted from me, and I quickly covered my mouth, trying to stop it. But it was happening. One of those moments where you let that first giggle out, and the rest comes tumbling out, no chance of holding it in.

Daryl glared at me as I giggled. I tried not to look at him, but his eyes seemed to be burning holes into me. Trying to contain myself, I looked up at him again, just in time to see him angrily shove a spoonful of corn in his mouth. Setting my plate down, I covered my face with both of my hands, trying to hide the laughter bursting from my throat.

"What's so damn funny?" Daryl growled, and I shook my head. Suddenly he put his plate down and sprang forward, shoving me on my back. Daryl looked down at me, his eyes full of mischief. He was hovering over me, his face close to mine. I couldn't move, my breath hitched in my throat. "I'll show ya funny."

Daryl kissed my neck, roughly snatching my jacket, revealing my collar bone. Kissing down my neck, he bit down gently on my collar bone, causing me to wiggle slightly underneath him. Kissing back up, he reached a spot between my neck and shoulder. I felt his mouth sucking at the spot, and his teeth scraped against my skin.

"Daryl.." I breathed his name, trying to scoot out from underneath him. He held me still, kissing back up my neck to the side of my face, before his lips met mine. Welcoming the kiss hungrily, I opened my mouth to his, feeling heat radiating off of us both. My arms were around his neck, pulling him closer. Closer. He wasn't even hovering over me anymore. Daryl was pressed fully against me.

His mouth left mine, and he planted a quick kiss on my forehead, before pushing himself off of me, and sitting back in his spot on the roof. Picking up his plate, he continued eating like nothing ever happened. I sat up slowly, my heart still pounding, as I shot him a glare. Grabbing my plate, I began to eat my breakfast, when something made my head snap up. Daryl was laughing. Actually laughing. I kept glaring at him, feeling my face blush slightly.

"Who's laughin' now?" Daryl snapped playfully.

"Shuttup, Dixon." I teased. He grinned, before eating another spoonful of food, and looking out into the neighborhood.

"It was so quiet today, that I've decided we'll stay one more night. We need to venture down further into the neighborhood and search the other houses. Hershel, stay here with Carol and Lori. Carl and Cheyenne will stay too. Carl, you know how to shoot, son. Don't hesitate if you have to." Rick instructed. Carl nodded. "Daryl, Spencer, Glenn, and Maggie will come with me. Sam, I want you to stay here, too. I will feel better knowing another guy is here with Hershel and Carl, jus' in case." I looked over at Sam, giving him a funny face. He raised an eyebrow and flipped me a bird when he was sure no one was looking. I stifled a laugh, and caught Katherine's eye. I ignored her just like Rick did.

The five of us set off into the neighborhood. It was mid day, and everything was just as Rick said. Quiet. The five of us took turns alternating roles as we ransacked the house. Four of us would go in and gather what we could, while the fifth person kept a look out. The third house down, I was the look out while the rest went on inside the house. Standing out on the porch, I shivered, despite the sun beaming down.

Looking around, the neighborhood was still silent. Maybe it was just nerves, but I felt as if they were taking forever in the house. I hated being alone, only if for a few moments. Being alone meant being vulnerable. I was just afraid of another herd barreling through. As if to torture me with my fears, I heard the soft shuffling of feet coming from the side of the house near the driveway. Taking quiet steps, I snuck off the porch and crept around the house.

There was a walker, looking thin and emaciated as hell. I snatched my hunting knife from the belt Daryl had convinced me to wear lately, and strode forward. The walker had its back to me, and I stalked up behind it without a sound. Before it could turn toward me, I jammed my kinfe through its head, and stumbled back as it fell to the ground.

"Disgustin'." I mumbled, my stomach lurching slightly.

"You okay?" Glenn's voice rang out. I turned to see him standing at the corner of the house, and Daryl came flying around the corner.

"What..." Daryl looked at me, then down to the walker.

"Heard it shufflin' 'round. Took care of it." I said with a nod. Rick appeared, worry filling his eyes when he saw the walker.

"Great." He mumbled, as we all stalked off to the next house. I noticed Daryl staying close to my side, and Glenn right beside Maggie. Once we walked up to the next house's porch, Rick stayed outside, while the four of us went inside to scavenge.

"We'll take upstairs." Daryl mumbled, and we ran up the stairs quickly. I took one bedroom, he took the other. My first instinct was to check the nightstand. Nothing. I pulled out drawers and tore the room apart. Checking the closet, I found a shotgun with three boxes of shells. _Nice_, I complimented to myself, before moving on.

Walking into the bathroom, I opened the medicine cabinet. _Ah, now here we go!_ I thought excited. There was asprin and tylenol. Some sort of antibiotics and a few more prescription pain killers. Hershel would know their use better than me. I had an idea, but I wasn't entirely sure what was what. Stuffing everything into the duffel bag I had slung over my shoulder, I walked out of the bathroom holding the shotgun.

"Damn girl." Daryl gave me a strange look as I came out into the hall with the shotgun.

"What?" I half laughed.

"Look sexy with that." Daryl whispered and I raised an eyebrow, before flashing him a smile and bounding down the stairs. When Glenn saw the shotgun in my arms, his face lit up with a huge grin.

"Nice, nice." Glenn nodded at the gun in my arms. I laughed.

"Might come in handy." I winked at Maggie, who snickered. We walked out of the house and kept searching, until we had combed through the neighborhood.

"Did great today." Rick said quietly as we walked back to the house. "Everything went as planned, now we gotta stick out one more night an' move on."

"So we really can't stay here..." Maggie trailed off, some hint of sadness in her voice. She was beside me, and I reached over grabbing her hand. I gave it a squeeze and an understanding look.

"Trust me," Rick looked at us, "I wish we could. I really do. It's jus' not safe enough." Maggie nodded her head in agreement and we walked on in silence. Letting go of Maggie's hand, she glanced at me with a thankful smile. We reached the house and Rick gave us our schedule for watch duty. Rick and T, Daryl and I, then Maggie and Glenn.

It was evening now, and the sun was starting to set. Hershel got the fireplace going, and I noticed Lori helping Carol cook dinner. She saw my gaze and gave me a tiny hint of a smile. I did the same, turning my head back to the others. Maggie and Glenn were laying on the floor with Cheyenne, and I noticed she had a coloring book... And a teddy bear? I walked over to her and plopped down.

"Hey munchkin." I said, ruffling her hair. "Wanna braid ya hair?"

"Oooooo, please?" Cheyenne grinned up at me. I chuckled, grabbing a hair tye from my wrist as she sat down in front of me.

"Glenn an' Maggie found ya a colorin' book, I see. An' a teddy." I said as I began braiding her hair.

"Well Glenn got me the colorin' book. Daryl got me the teddy." Cheyenne replied with a somewhat cheerful voice.

"Oh really?" I asked, kind of surprised.

"Yes. I woke up this mornin', an' Daryl walked over to me an' gave me it." Cheyenne answered, hugging the bear tightly. I smiled, feeling good to know she had some comfort. I finished braiding her hair, and fed her dinner. Daryl and I took our dinner to go, it was our time to go on watch.

"Love ya boo boo." I said, crouching to tuck Cheyenne in. I covered her up and kissed her head. "Get some sleep, gotta big day tomorrow."

"Love you, too." Cheyenne mumbled sleepily. Her arms shot up to Daryl, who kneeled down to hug her. "Night Daryl."

"Night Chy." Daryl said quietly, and she layed back down, snuggling into her blankets. I smiled as we walked away and trudged up the stairs. Pushing the window open, I stepped out onto the roof. Rick and T-Dog looked over at us, and stood up.

"Nothin' yet. See y'all in the mornin'." T-Dog yawned as he stepped inside the window.

"I think everything's good. I set up a ladder by the side of the house, jus' in case. If somethin' happens, I don't want anyone trapped inside." Rick explained.

"Go get some sleep." I said softly. Rick nodded and squeezed my shoulder, slapping Daryl on the back gently as he walked by. Relaxed, I ate the food on my plate, feeling warm at the thought of the group... The family.

"So ya got Chy a teddy?" I smiled while eating.

"Yea, saw it in one o'the shops." Daryl explained.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"For what?" Daryl asked.

"Caring for her." I replied. He gave me a grunt and we finished our dinner in a comfortable silence.

"Can't sleep." Maggie's voice drifted through the window as it creaked open.

"Figured we'd keep watch with you two until it's our turn." Glenn offered, as they stepped out onto the roof and sat down near Daryl and I. We all started talking, Daryl even joining into the conversation every now and then. Carol scooped up our plates and bid us all a good night. I looked out into the darkness, my eyes somewhat adjusted to the dark.

Glenn snuggled up with Maggie, and Daryl actually allowed me to sit between his legs again, even with people around. Maybe Daryl was just okay with it because Maggie and Glenn were a couple. So it wasn't as awkward? That was my guess. I was just happy to be in his arms, even if it was freezing cold, and we were on watch.

I leaned my head against his chest, looking out at the neighborhood. Glancing up at the stars, I smiled lightly. Daryl's arms tightened around me, pulling me closer. I felt him rest the side of his face against the side on my head. Despite the cold world around me, in that moment I was warm.

* * *

**Okay that's Ch. 25 ! I love the way Daryl plays with her, it's so funny to me ! Their relationship is gettin better but do not expect that to last long. In the first episode of the 3rd season we all got to see how hard things were on them (Carl resorting to a can of dog food because of hunger), so things are definitely gonna go down hill soon. I am also about to begin a new story (Hopefully even better than this one) It will be a pre-post apocalypse sort of story, about a girl who, of course, is a Daryl lover. But this story will be so detailed and she already knew the Dixon brothers before the dead rose. So I'm very excited. But NO FEARS ! Spencer and Daryl's story still has much more to progress. Hopefully I can get my hands on the 3rd season soon enough and really get this story on a roll. I haven't decided on a title for my new story, but jus look for my fanfic name to appear soon with another story. REVIEWS ARE SO GREATLY APPRECIATED (for both hehe) ! You fans are nothing short of amazingness awesomeness ! Hope yall are enjoyin this story, an hope you like my new one !**

**~Kaila G.**


	26. Chapter 26

Leaving the house was painful. It had been the first secure thing we'd found since the farm had been overrun. Even though Rick had bombed the idea of making it permanent from the get go, I was still sad that we had to leave. I understood that we could never be too careful, but having a house... It was just hard to turn that down and go back out into the cold with no sure destination.

Daryl and I were helping the others pack supplies into the vehicles. It was dawn, and freezing outside. Trying to keep as quiet as possible, just for safety precaution, we kept running back and forth from the house to the vehicles. We had finally gotten the last couple of blankets packed, when Carol announced that breakfast was ready.

Sitting down long enough to eat, my mind began to wander. I knew that we didn't have much food left. As far as keeping ourselves warm, we were... Okay. But food was something we could never get enough of. Unfortunately, Daryl was going to have to hunt soon. Between his hunting, and scavenging canned goods, maybe we'd be okay for the winter.

There was so much to think about. Where to find enough food. Where we would find a place to stay the night, if we found a place at all. How long would we be safe? What about Lori? Now that the farm was lost, we had lost everything. There were no medical supplies, no place for Lori to safely have the baby. Rick had fought so hard to keep the group at the farm, and it was lost anyway.

Shoveling the last bit of beans in my mouth, I mentally sighed. I caught Daryl's eye, he was watching my face closely from where he sat. This time, I couldn't attempt a smile. He saw the worry and fear on my face. I couldn't hide it, and it seemed like no one else in the group could either. Rick and Daryl were the exception.

Rick was still closed off, he and Lori weren't speaking at all. Lori had her small soft moments, then went back to keeping to herself and staying quiet. Cheyenne and Carl were attached at the hip. Wherever Carl went, Cheyenne wanted to go. Carl had taken up with Rick, and it seemed as if he were shying away from Lori. Not that anyone could blame him. The situation seemed bad. From all sides. Except Lori's.

I still felt that Lori was mad at Rick for killing Shane. Rick had no choice, and she didn't help the problem. She made it worse. Unintentionally, intentionally, it was one or the other. I remembered the day Daryl was working on the barn loft lookout area, and I was sitting up there with him. Seeing Lori walk out to Shane and engage in conversation had confused me at first. I thought that maybe she was fussing again, but their faces and actions didn't show anger.

Really, it wasn't my business. Things were done and over with. Nothing left to do, and whatever was left to say needed to be between Rick and Lori. Any of us verbally attacking a pregnant woman didn't seem like a thing to do. Even if she was a bitch at times. I always had to remind myself that we're all human.

_We're all human_. I mumbled in my head, standing up with my paper plate. Walking over to the piles of paper plates, I dropped mine on top of the rest. Paper plates had been easy to find and easy to dispose of. Turning away from the pile of dirty plates, I stalked toward the front door. I knew it was about time to go. On the road again.

_On the road 'gain._ I sang in my head, but I wasn't feeling the mood. Hearing footsteps, I saw Rick walk out of the house followed by Carl and Chy. The rest of the group bumbled out behind them, seemingly at their own pace. Daryl was the last one out of the house, something resembling a scowl on his face.

"We have to keep moving around, find places like this. Places that don't hold many walkers. But they are still a threat no matter what. That's why we're leavin' here. Can't stay in one place too long. We'll make stops when it's safe, gather supplies, whatever we can find. On the way out of town there's a gas station. We're gonna stop there and scrounge up some gas. Never can have enough... Let's get going." Rick gave us all a final glance and turned away, walking to his vehicle. The people that rode with him followed.

I watched as Cheyenne ran off to the car with Carl. Everyone else trailed off to the vehicles they had rode in before. Looking over, I saw Katherine watching me, her face looked as if she had something to say. Not in the mood for bullshit, I took off for the motorcycle. Daryl was swinging his leg over, and I waited for him to sit before climbing on behind him.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I felt him turn to look back at Rick who must have waved the 'go ahead', because the motorcycle came to life and after a few moments, we were riding down the street of the neighborhood. I kept my head on Daryl's shoulder, forcing myself not to look back at what we had to leave behind.

We passed by another smaller neighborhood, cars everywhere. One house had a swing set in the backyard. It seemed as if no one had escaped, by the looks of the cars littered throughout the neighborhood. Suddenly, the thought of children came to my mind, and I shuddered. _Don't think 'bout it_. I mentally shook my head, trying to shoo the thoughts away.

Once out of the neighborhood, there was a stretch of road. No houses, no stores. Just fields and emptiness. Land seemed to stretch on for miles, even though I knew we hadn't gotten that far yet. Holding onto Daryl tightly, I gasped when I looked around his shoulder. The motorcycle began slowing down, and I held on even tighter.

Up ahead, was a herd of walkers. Not many, but enough to be a threat. I skimmed over the stumbling corpses, trying to make a quick head count. _Thirteen_? I was pretty sure that was it. Daryl began firing his crossbow from his position on the bike. I pulled out my gun, only to have Daryl grab my arm.

"Don't." He whispered. "Might be more of 'em." Looking back up at the small group of walkers, I was relieved to see that Daryl had dropped four of them. Swinging my leg over the bike, I hopped off of it and grabbed the big hunting knife from my belt. "Where the hell ya think ya goin'?"

"Somebody's gotta do it, God dammit." I growled, and Rick was already out of his car on my heels. Before I knew it, Maggie, Glenn, Rick, Sam, Daryl and I were taking the walkers on. Head on. I dodged around the side of one, whirling around directly behind it. In one quick motion, I grabbed its shoulder and thrust my knife into the back of its head. Kicking it away, yanking my knife from its skull, I turned to face the next one.

The walker was obviously male. The remains of a suit and tie were tattered and worn on its body. Those orangish eyes burned into mine, the cloudy film casting an eerily terrifying quality to its face. It stumbled toward me quite quickly, jaws snapping. The cheek bone was showing from a huge gash on the side of its face, and I could see most of its torso was eaten away. Grunting, I lunged forward, side stepping its outstretched arms.

I shoved my knife through the front of its head, the sickening crack escaping into my ears as my knife met the skull, penetrating through. Yanking the knife back, I stumbled a bit. It slid out much easier than usual. Maybe they were wasting away from lack of food. My eyes darted around for signs of others, but there were none, only dead walkers scattered on the road.

Sighing, I wiped the blood off of my knife, and grabbed the walker I had just killed. My tiny hands curled around the fabric of its clothing as I pulled it toward the side of the road. Pulling and grunting, I finally got it out of the path of our vehicles, and walked over to the next one.

As I was pulling it away from the road, I felt someone beside me. Glenn grabbed the other side of the walker's shirt, and together we finished pulling it over to the side of the road. Dropping the body in the grass, I looked up at Glenn and offered a thankful smile. He returned it, and looked down at the walker.

"That was a big one." Glenn mumbled, glancing back up at me.

"Yea, had to dodge 'round it to kill the damn thing." I fussed, shaking my head. Glenn gave a huffed laugh, before walking over to Maggie and checking on her. Stepping over the walker, I began walking back toward the motorcycle. I heard footsteps joining me, then felt a hand on my lower back.

"Ya good?" Daryl's husky voice seeped into my ears. Closing my eyes for a moment, I took in his words, just wanting to hear his voice over and over.

"Good." I whispered quietly, leaning into his hand. He snaked his arm around my waist as we walked, and I leaned my head against his shoulder. "I hate this."

"Know ya do." Daryl spoke as softly as Daryl could. Taking a deep breath, I imagined my life like this, forever. _I don't want this_. _I don't want walkers an' terror. I want Daryl an' normal._ But that was wishful thinking, and I knew that was certainly true.

"Jus' want my life back. But I want ya in it... I had so many dreams growin' up. Gone, in a cloud of smoke." I bit my cheek to hold back the tears. Daryl stopped us as we reached the motorcycle, and he looked at me, studying my face.

"Ain't gonna let nothin' happen to ya. Or Cheyenne. Imma do whatever it takes, Spence. I'll do whatever it takes to keep ya safe." Daryl said surely, his hand sliding toward my cheek. Pulling me forward, he kissed my forehead. Leaning into his lips pressed against my skin, I trembled slightly. Daryl stepped back, tilting his head. "Yer my girl."

"As long as the world allows it." I agreed.

"Well, the world can jus' hand ya over, or we might have'a problem." Daryl teased, and I felt a smile creeping over my lips.

"M'all yers." I mumbled softly, wanting him to kiss me. But instead, Rick gave us a beep and we climbed back onto the motorcycle. Starting the engine, we drove away from the brutal scene of dead walkers. The winter wind stung my face as we rode along, but I didn't care. I was just happy to be alive, to have Cheyenne, and to have the man in front of me.

_Never thought it'd come to this... Daryl Dixon... That man I met at the road, in camp outside Atlanta... Never expected this. Not him, not me... Not us. How'd we get here? I dunno, but sure as hell glad we did. Nothin' in my life's ever been stable. Even now, while the world's unstable an' crazy, I got one sure thing. I got Daryl Dixon._

The relaxation that flooded through me, was rare. Empty road, roar of the motorcycle in my ears, and holding onto to Daryl was like a relief. Knowing that Cheyenne was safe and somewhat warm in the vehicle behind us was all I needed to know. Not to have to worry. But then again, we always had to worry.

_No matter what we do, they'll always be there._ I pushed the thought around in my head, trying to forget it. Before I knew it, there was the gas station that Rick wanted us to stop at. Daryl pulled into the car cluttered parking lot, the others right behind us. I let go of Daryl as he turned the motorcycle off.

Hopping off the bike, Rick and Hershel walked over to us. Both men looked worn and tired. Hershel had no time to deal with the loss of his farm. He had lost everything, his family's safe haven, Patricia and Jimmy. Forced to flee without even grieving over the loss. Survive, survive, survive. That was his only focus now, not only for himself, but for Beth and Maggie.

And Rick... His eyes held deep circles, his face full of concern. Everything was weighing on him, the group depended on him. The sheriff had to worry about keeping everyone safe, fed, and warm. He had a pregnant wife to protect. And like Hershel, he had lost the only safe haven he knew. For his pregnant wife, for his young son, for the group, for himself. Rick had to kill his best friend. Where was his time to grieve?

"We need to move quickly, siphon what we can from these cars and then see if we can get into the pumps somehow." Rick instructed, looking at the gas station.

"I'll go in." Daryl offered, grabbing his crossbow.

"Spencer, maybe go along and grab supplies?" Rick asked me, looking from me to the gas station.

"Yea. Yea I'll do that." I nodded, and as I started toward the gas station, I heard a snicker. Glancing back, I saw T-Dog waggling his eyebrows at Daryl and I. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head and kept walking toward the gas station. Daryl was beside me, his eyes darting around us. "What?"

"Jus' lookin' 'round, girl. Don't wanna get trapped in here." Daryl growled.

"Me? Trapped with _you_? Oh, Jesus." I teased playfully. "The horror."

"Hn." Daryl snorted. Grinning, I opened the door to the gas station. Daryl walked in, looking around for any signs of walkers. Not hearing or seeing anything, I went on my way, searching the store high and low for anything that we could eat.

The gas station didn't offer much. More fuel than we thought, but not much food. Not saying we didn't find any food, but it wasn't exactly the treasure chest in the pirate ship. Still, any food was better than no food at all. Luckily, we had food left over from our two nights stay at the neighborhood house. For now, we had enough food for three days.

Three days that we might not even make it to. Three days that could go by quickly. Three days that we might not find anything else to eat for a while. Three days was a lot of pressure to put on fourteen people. Fifteen if you count Lori's unborn baby, who also had to eat. Which meant Lori needed extra rations.

_Daryl's gonna hafta hunt._ I thought to myself as we left the gas station. I handed over what I had found to Rick, while T-Dog and Daryl finished filling up the tanks with gas. Once they were done, they scrapped up what gas we could carry, and loaded it into one of the less crowded vehicles.

"We're headin' into the next town. Same rules apply. No more than two or three nights, dependin' on the safety. Daryl, we're gonna keep straight about a mile and a half. Turn left onto the first highway we see. Then we're gonna pass two roads, turn left on the third one. Keep straight about a quarter of a mile, then turn right." Rick gave directions and Daryl nodded.

Everything was quiet as we all walked back to our vehicles and prepared to leave. As soon as the others were loaded up and ready to go, Daryl started the motorcycle and we pulled away from the gas station. On our way to a new place. What if this was our safe haven? I could only hope, as I grabbed onto Daryl, burying my head into his back.

* * *

**Sooooo sorry for the long update wait ! I been killin myself with work ! Up until I can snag the third season most of my story will be filler and just the group's struggle of running around Georgia area before finally finding the prison. But I'm thinkin bout throwin in a curve ball that no one will see comin... I am lovin this story and the READERS and REVIEWERS are amazinnnnnn as always ! I love writin for Fan Fic, it is somethin that keeps me inspired because of all the awesome people that read my stories !**

**~Kaila G**


	27. Chapter 27

We pulled up to a fairly nice brick house. Rick gave a light beep of the horn signaling to us that this was a stopping point. Daryl pulled into the yard, followed by the others, everyone parking with the vehicles facing the road for easier escape if needed. The roar of the motorcycle was cut when Daryl turned it off. Climbing off of the bike, I saw Cheyenne running toward me. Opening my arms, I caught her as she jumped up to me.

"Hey honey." I smiled, grabbing her up in a hug. I kissed the side of her head and offered a smile.

"A new house! Least for a night or two." Cheyenne said, looking up at the house.

"Yea... Least for a night'er two." I agreed. Cheyenne gave me a kiss on the cheek, before reaching out to Daryl. I handed her over to him, and she held onto him tight.

"Hey Daryl." Chy whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were tired, and she was relaxed now that Daryl had her.

"Hey Cheyenne." Daryl said quietly. My heart melted as she wrapped her little arms around his neck. Daryl looked tense, but he seemed to be getting used to Cheyenne and I. I felt better knowing that we were doing all we possibly could for the small child. She found comfort in us both, we were going to have to be her parents, since her parents were long gone. Or one of _them_.

"We're gonna go on inside and check it out. Looks all clear, but we're gonna do a sweep before lettin' everyone inside." Rick instructed. "T-Dog, Glenn, and Sam. Come with me." The four of them walked up the six little stairs and across the porch. They disappeared inside.

Daryl stayed right where he stood, Cheyenne in his arms. I noticed him gently lean his head against hers, a comforting gesture. Cheyenne looked as if she had fallen asleep, her head still on his shoulder. She was still holding onto him, and she looked so small. Once again, heart melted.

I began to worry slightly about Sam, as I looked back toward the house. We hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk, and I felt like we needed to. I wanted to know what happened to him, how he got to that town. What he went through. He seemed to know how to keep himself alive, but I still worried. Isn't that what sisters do?

"All clear!" I heard Glenn's voice call out from inside, then he appeared in the doorway. I looked at Daryl for a moment, before turning around and walking over to Rick's vehicle. opening the back, I grabbed up Cheyenne's blankets. I closed the hatch back as quietly as possible, before walking back over to Daryl and following him to the porch.

We walked inside, and I looked around. The house wasn't as big as the last one, and there wasn't a fireplace, but it was still a home for a night. Something safe, or somewhat safe, for us to be able to rest up for the next day's journey. I constantly had to remind myself that nothing was safe. Not anymore.

"There are five bedrooms. One of the rooms is a kid's room. It has two twin beds. Carl and Cheyenne can sleep in there. We'll alternate between the bedrooms, unless anyone wants to sleep on the floor. Watch duty is Daryl, Spencer, and I. T-Dog, Hershel, and Sam are after us. Then Glenn, Maggie, and Beth." Rick nodded and walked over to Carl.

Daryl and I made our way into the kid's room, seeing the two beds. They were neatly made, like nothing horrible ever happened. Like they were waiting to be used. I pulled down the covers, and Daryl laid Cheyenne down onto the bed. Covering her up with extra blankets, I whispered "I love you", and kissed her head. Daryl touched the top of her head softly, before turning away and walking back into the hall. I followed.

"Watch duty, here we come." I mumbled, and started to walk away. I felt Daryl's hand grab mine, and I turned back toward him. His face was etched with worry. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'." Daryl shook his head slightly, and I put a hand to his face.

"Let's go?" I asked.

"Yea." He nodded and together we walked back into the living room area. Walking toward the stairs, Daryl and Rick followed behind me. Once to the top, Daryl walked past me, walking into one of the bedrooms. Rick and I followed, as Daryl pushed a window up, allowing us to climb out onto the roof.

"I'll go to the front of the house." Rick said flatly, and walked away. I could hear his quiet footsteps, until he reached the front of the house. He must have sat down, because all was quiet. Daryl and I sat down, looking out at the backyard. All was still, quiet. Catching Daryl's gaze, I looked to the left, seeing a tire swing. _Don't think_.

Looking up at the sky, I saw the sun was beginning to set. The colors seemed to swirl together in an odd blend of purples, oranges, pinks, and blue sky. It was beautiful and sad at the same time. It reminded me of how the world once was, and made me think how it may never be again. It was beautiful, though. I couldn't deny that.

"Beautiful, huh?" I mumbled, my eyes still looking at the sunset.

"Yea." Daryl mumbled back, his eyes locked on my face. I looked over at him, tilting my head slightly.

"Can I ask ya somethin'?" I looked into his eyes.

"Sure." He replied.

"Didn't think I should ask before, but... How'd ya get those scars?" I almost expected him to get angry, and it worried me. We had been doing so good.

"My father. He was 'busive. A drunk." Daryl said quietly.

"An' Merle?" I pressed.

"Merle's Merle." Daryl smirked. "He left soon as he could. Left me there. Went into the military."

"So he used to get it to." I stated.

"An' he jus' left me there to fend for myself." Daryl shook his head. "What 'bout you an' Sam?"

"Well... After the incident in my room, Sam never left me home alone. He stayed in the house 'til I turned seventeen. Shay an' I were both workin'. She knew my home situation, so we both moved out at seventeen. My parents went crazy, they were pissed. Said they wouldn't pay for my college. Told 'em that's fine with me. Long as I ain't gotta ever see 'em 'gain, I didn't care. After I left, I never went back. Neither did Sam. He moved to Atlanta. That's where I was headin' that day on the road. Tryna find Sam." I explained.

"Did ya think ya would?" Daryl asked gruffly.

"Find 'em? Honestly... No. Didn't think I'd ever see anyone I knew 'gain. Ya think Andrea an' Shay made it?" I asked suddenly.

"Dunno." Daryl admitted. I shook my head.

"Somethin's gotta give, somewhere. Can't keep livin' like this." I said, watching the last bit of sunlight disappear beyond the horizon.

"Ya know Imma keep you an' Cheyenne safe." Daryl stated. I looked at him, searching his eyes with mine. Scooting closer to him, I let out a breath, and skimmed my eyes over the area. We sat in silence, just watching as night took over and everything grew dark. Footsteps were coming toward us, then Rick appeared.

"Nothin'?" Rick looked around.

"Nothin'." I replied.

"I'll go get the others so we can get some rest." Rick said quietly, and then he was gone. Within a few minutes, T-Dog and Sam climbed through the window, followed by Hershel. Daryl and I stood up, and left the three men, giving them a nod on our way inside.

I climbed through the window, Daryl behind me. As I walked down the stairs, I suddenly felt as if I hadn't slept in months. Trying to shake the feeling, I reached the bottom of the stairs. Carol greeted us with two plates. Smiling I took one and Daryl grabbed the other. Beans had never looked so good in my life.

"The far back bedroom is empty. It's the last room on the right... Oh, and Hershel found a generator in the basement. The hot water tank... Hot water, we got it. Take a shower. The kids are already cleaned u., I woke them up, got them showered, now they're back in bed.. We brought everyone's stuff inside." Carol pointed down the hallway. "Room's that way."

"Thanks!" I called, as Daryl and I turned away from the woman and walked toward the bedroom. I whirled toward him as soon as he shut the door. "Hot water." I was excited. Daryl's lips twitched upward and he snorted out a half laugh. We sat on the edge of the bed and ate our dinner. When we finished, Daryl held out his hand, and I gave him my paper plate.

"Go on, take ya shower." Daryl whispered. I smiled and let out a small laugh.

"Hot water." I mumbled, walking from the bedroom. Grabbing up my bag, I found a bathroom, and turned on the shower. Sure enough, after a few seconds, the water was scalding hot. After turning the shower knobs and testing the water a few times, I finally found the perfect temperature.

Digging through my bag, I scooped up my body wash, shampoo, and my razor. _Thank the Lord_. I mumbled to myself. I stripped quickly, then stepped into the shower, the hot water pouring over me. Chills splayed across my skin from the hot trinklets of water running over my cold body.

I quickly began shaving my legs. Trying not to cut myself, I shaved everywhere, feeling smooth and refreshed. Just as I was lathering my hair with shampoo, I heard a _click_. I stopped moving, listening. Nothing, silence. _Must be paranoid_. I continued massaging my scalp, the hot water rushing over me. Suddenly, the curtain moved, and Daryl was standing there. I jumped slightly, and stepped back.

"I locked the door..." I mumbled, staring at him.

"I can pick locks, ya know." Daryl growled playfully. "Room for me?"

"Please." I stepped aside, realizing that he had already removed his clothing. Daryl stepped into the shower, and I leaned back into the water, washing the shampoo from my hair. Squeezing my eyes shut, I ran my hands over my hair, making sure the shampoo was out. Shaking my head, I opened my eyes, meeting Daryl's blue ones. "C'mere."

Daryl stepped forward. The dirt and grime from his skin was disappearing, washing away down the drain. I grabbed the shampoo bottle and squeezed some out. On my tip toes, I ran my hands over Daryl's head until it was covered in white suds. His eyes were closed, and when I stepped away, he dunked his head under the water until the shampoo was rinsed out.

We both bathed off quickly, and as soon as I rinsed off, I turned to shut the water off. Before I could reach the knob, my back was against the wall, and Daryl was pressed against me. His lips were only inches from mine. Looking into his eyes, I watched as he glanced down at my lips. I grabbed his shoulders for support, waiting on him to make a move.

For a moment, he just stared at me. Then he tilted his head, and leaned down into me. Our lips met like a wave crashing into the rocks, and my body tingled as the hot water rushed over us. Pressing me harder into the wall, he kept kissing me, the kiss becoming rougher. Opening my mouth to him, I felt his tongue slide over mine, and I pulled him closer.

His hand slid down my body through the water, and I gasped slightly at his touch. His finger moved slowly, teasingly, and I let out a small whimper. Wrapping my arms around his neck, he ducked his head down, his lips trailing kisses along my jaw line. Kissing down my neck, he nipped gently at my skin. The water was rushing in my ears, his hand, his lips, everything...

"Daryl, please." I whispered against his ear.

"Ya okay?" Daryl stopped suddenly, looking at me.

"Yes." I breathed, nodding.

"Ya want to?" He asked sincerely, his blue eyes searching mine.

"Daryl, shut up an' kiss me." I whispered, earning a smirk, and his lips on mine. Wrapping a leg around his waist, I broke the kiss, pushing my forehead against his shoulder as he entered me. I grimaced slightly against his shoulder, but once he started moving against me, I lost all thought and raised my head, kissing his neck, up to his ear.

I pulled him closer, he leaned against me harder. Our mouths touched, I leaned my head back, teasing. He leaned forward, kissing me roughly. I bit his lip gently, causing him to go faster. Moaning quietly, my hand found the back of his neck as we kissed. His tongue slid over mine, and I dug my nails into the back of his neck. Breaking our kiss, I kissed his neck, then my mouth was near his ear.

"Daryl.." I whispered, his name as I felt myself going somewhere, somewhere high. Pleasure flooded over me like a wave, and I shuddered against him. His hand ran up my neck softly, grabbing the hair at the back of my neck. He thrust against me one more time before relaxing, and I held onto him, needing support. We stood, leaned against the shower wall, his head against mine.

I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe. It seemed like eternity before he let me go, and I turned off the water quickly. Wrapping a towel around myself, I stepped out of the shower and looked up at him. Daryl walked toward me, backing me against the wall. My legs felt weak at the look he was giving me, something caught between passion and love.

Daryl kissed me softly, then stepped away. He dressed, then walked out of the bathroom without a word. I sagged against the wall, trying to process what had just happened. Pulling myself up straight, I dressed quickly, the bathroom was growing cool. Folding my towel, I set it on the bathroom rack, and opened the door. I walked to the bedroom, and shut the door behind me. Daryl was laying on the bed, his eyes meeting mine as I walked closer to him. Pulling down the covers on my side, I climbed into the bed.

Daryl rolled toward me, leaning over me. I let out a little smile, and he leaned down, kissing me gently. I returned the kiss, my stomach fluttering. When he pulled away, I noticed he had no shirt on. His hands ran under my shirt, lifting it up and off of me. Pulling off my sweat pants, he threw them somewhere. He stripped me down, his eyes wandering over my body. Feeling a bit self conscious, I blushed slightly looking down.

"Don't do that." Daryl propped my chin up with his finger. "Ya beautiful, girl." With that, he kissed my lips softly, before kissing down my jaw, to my neck. The stubble on his face tickled and scratched against my skin as he kissed down my chest to my stomach. His tongue touched my skin, causing me to squirm. He was between my legs, when he lifted his head, his eyes full of boyish charm. Mischief.

"Hn." He grunted playfully, before kissing my inner thigh. Taking in a sharp breath, I could feel his breath against my skin. Against me. When his tongue slid over me, I shivered deeply, grabbing the sheets for support. Anything to keep me grounded to the bed. My back arched slightly as his tongue flicked against me. I let a moan escape me, though quiet, I knew he heard it because it only caused his motions to become faster.

"Daryl.." I whimpered. "Daryl.." I was breathing hard. I shuddered against him, and the most powerful pleasure coursed though my body. I wanted to scream his name, but I knew I couldn't. Shaking against him, he stopped, and looked up at me with something resembling a grin.

Turning away, I smiled, still shaking a little. I felt his arms snake around my waist, pulling me against him. Still shaking, he pulled me close, his breath tickling my ear. I pushed myself against him, feeling the warmth from his body radiating onto mine. He was like a fucking heater. His hand grabbed my face gently, and he turned it toward him.

"Spencer." He said, looking into my eyes.

"Yea?" I managed to say.

"Yer my girl." Daryl's voice was barely above a whisper. Something about the way he said it, brought tears to my eyes. His voice was so gentle, so...loving.

"Yea, I am." I nearly choked the words out. He smirked and pulled me closer. I rolled around to face him, and with our noses touching, I drifted off into a dark dreamless sleep.

* * *

"DARYL! SPENCER!" Maggie's voice pierced into my sleep. "GET UP, WE GOTTA GO, NOW!"

* * *

**Ohhhhhh myyyyy Godddddd... So I did a smush smush scene ! Lawdddd that was hot, eh ? Haha I figured it was bout damn time. Originally at the end I wrote him telling her "I love you", but I decided not too with better judgement. I wanna save that for another day ! Don't worry he will tell her when he's ready. Today's jus not the day ! But he showed her, huh ?! I think so !**

**And Daryl with Cheyenne ? Cute cute for sure ! I really am enjoying doin this whole "on my own" writing for the gap between the farm and the prison ! I hope yall love it as much as I love writing it ! The readers and REVIEWERS ARE AWESOME AS ALWAYSSSS ! (Sorry for the update wait, I am goin crazy between work and tryin to find a house and better job)**

**Hope all was enjoyed !**

**~Kaila G.**


	28. Chapter 28

Daryl and I jumped up, throwing the covers off. Ignoring the cold air against my skin, I dressed quickly, and threw the bedroom door open. Maggie darted off down the hall, and I followed, Daryl on my heels. Maggie pointed at the front window, and I squinted, looking out into the day light.

"Oh my God..." I breathed, my brain taking in what my eyes were seeing. Walkers were stumbling across the field. Headed our way. There was no time to think as I ran back down the hall and into the kids room. "Cheyenne, Carl, let's go!"

"W-what's goin' on?" Carl asked, jumping up. I grabbed Cheyenne up into my arms and grabbed Carl's hand.

"Walkers, we gotta go! NOW!" I yelped, pulling him from the room. Lori came barreling down the hall, Rick behind her. Carl ran to his father, and Daryl grabbed Cheyenne from my arms.

"Everyone run! Run for the cars!" Rick yelled to us. I grabbed my bag, and saw the others grabbing what they had brought in. Once at the door, Rick flung it open, and we made a mad dash for the vehicles.

Daryl ran to Rick's vehicle, shoving Cheyenne inside. Rick had the engine started before Daryl had even shut the door. Seeing that Rick had Cheyenne safe, I threw my bag in the trunk slamming the hatch back. Turning my head towards the field across the street, I saw the walkers were coming closer. Dangerously closer.

"SPENCER!" I heard Daryl's voice. Running over to the motorcycle, I jumped on, and he started the engine. Taking off, we barely missed the first eight walkers stumbling onto the road. I looked behind me to see Rick's vehicle, and Hershel's, right behind us. Daryl sped up, giving them some distance to drive faster.

Looking ahead, I noticed something coming up, spread out all along the road. Once we got closer, I realized it had been a road block of some sort, empty cars scattered the sides of the road. Blocked off the highway. _Shit_, I thought, looking around for walkers. I saw two or three up ahead, on the far end of the road block. they seemed to be temporarily stuck, not being able to find their way through the maze of cars.

"Whatta we do now?" I yelled over the motorcycle engine. Looking back at Rick, I saw he had jumped out of his vehicle, and was jogging our way.

"Think we can-" Rick started, but screaming stopped him.

"RICK! GET IN THE CAR! LOOK!" Maggie and Glenn were yelling loudly from their vehicle. I half turned from where I sat on the motorcycle, to see the herd stumbling toward us from the direction we had came.

"FUCK!" I yelled, looking around for an escape.

"TAKE THE DIRT ROAD!" Rick yelled at us, and Daryl turned the bike, veering off from the jumbled snar of cars. Glancing back, I saw Rick jump into the vehicle and take off after us. T-Dog was driving right behind him.

I held on tight as we kicked up dirt, speeding down the unsettled road. It seemed as if walkers were coming out of the woods from every direction. Daryl had to make a slightly sharp turn, trying to dodge a walker, and luckily I leaned with him. The walker leaned forward, reaching out for us, it's fingertips barely brushing my jeans.

"DARYL!" I screamed, holding onto him tighter. Trying to hold it together, I glanced backward to see Rick and T-Dog swerving all over the dirt road, clipping walkers as they drove. I wanted to pull my gun and start shooting, but it was too risky.

Then I saw it. Up ahead was a way out, another road. Speeding through, we hit concrete, and I was relieved to see an empty stretch of highway before us. Looking behind me, I watched as the others came flying off of the dirt road. Daryl sped forward, and I let out a breath. My adrenaline was pumping, my heart pounding.

Walkers seemed to spew from the wooded area. Daryl was speeding forward, the others close behind us. The walkers were far too slow to keep up. Relaxing slightly, I rested my head on Daryl's back, letting out a breath. _Too close for comfort_. It was like briefly reliving the farm incident.

We rode on, Daryl finally letting off the gas a bit. The icy air whipped through my hair, stinging my face. In all of the chaos I had forgotten how cold it was. Looking around, I realized that we were on a stretch of highway, nothing in sight. We had no idea where we were going, or how to get there. Figuring Rick would be signaling us to pull over soon, I tried to assure myself that everything was going to be okay.

But nothing was okay. The world was full of those _things, _and those _things_ were constantly trying to tear us into pieces. I constantly worried for everyone, including myself. I never knew when we'd be outsmarted. When we'd be overrun. Overrun to the point of no escape. Trying to shake my fears, I closed my eyes and told myself to stop thinking like that and focus on what was ahead.

I felt as if we had rode a thousand miles before Rick finally beeped the horn. Daryl pulled over, steadied the motorcycle, and turned off the engine. Rick walked up, his eyes wild, yet tired. I noticed that he kept glancing around, like he expected walkers to appear any second. I truly hoped that would not happen. I'd had enough excitement for a lifetime.

"Let's get to the next town. It'll put more than enough distance between us and those walkers. Same rules apply. Scope the area, make sure it's safe. Stay a night or two, move on." Rick instructed, taking another look around.

"How long ya think they can keep this up?" Daryl asked, nodding back toward the others. Rick looked back at the other two vehicles, full of our group.

"Honestly, I dunno. But they'll have to. We're gonna find that safe place. Me and you, Daryl. We're gonna find it." Rick's words were sure and firm. I reached up and touched Rick's arm, feeling sorry for the sad look in his eyes. Giving us a pitiful attempt at a smile, he stalked off back to his vehicle. Daryl started the motorcycle and we lurched forward, as always, on the road again.

* * *

It would be getting dark soon. Daryl pulled off onto a narrow street in the neighborhood we had come up on, and he stopped in front of a big white house. Like every time we started to settle down somewhere, the vehicles were positioned for escape. Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl walked into the house to clear it. I had my gun drawn, my eyes searching the area for movement. The day had ruined me.

Everything had ruined me since the farm. They just kept coming. Nowhere and nothing was safe. No safe haven. No strong structure. Just house after house. We needed stable structure, something that would be able to withstand a herd. Something that was beyond sturdy. Some kind of military building or prison. Something. Anything that could keep the walkers out.

Daryl and T came walking out of the house, carrying a dead walker. I watched as the two men carried it away from the house and dumped it in another yard. Rick gave us an all clear, and I scooped Cheyenne up. Walking into the house, I sat down, my legs feeling wobbly from all the riding we had done.

"T, Hershel, watch duty with me." Rick motioned for the two others to follow him. The three men walked away, and I glanced over to see Lori sitting against the wall, her head in her hands. Carol was busying around with making dinner. I walked over to the kitchen window, getting a good look at the back yard. It wasn't quite dark yet, and I noticed a swing set out back.

"Chy, c'mere!" I called, and the little blonde came running. Grabbing her hand, I took her out of the back door. Her eyes lit up and she ran forward. Cheyenne immediately jumped on one of the swings and began swinging her legs.

"Can ya gimme a push?" Chy asked, struggling a bit. Giving her a giggle, I stepped forward.

"Ready?" I asked, grabbing her on the swing.

"Ready!" Cheyenne grinned. I let her go, and when she swung back, I gave a push. It got her swinging at a decent pace, so I sat in the other swing beside her and began swinging. We laughed as we swung higher.

"We're even." I laughed and Cheyenne gave me a grin.

"Look, I'm so high!" Cheyenne giggled as she swung higher than me. Lost in the moment, fear took over me when Rick's voice interrupted our fun.

"SPENCER!" Rick was whispering harshly from the roof in front of us. "GET INSIDE, NOW!" Using my feet to stop myself quickly, I grabbed Cheyenne's swing, jerking her to a stop. Looking behind me, I could see walkers heading my way. It was like the farm, the road all over again. They just kept coming.

"Go, go, go!" I whispered, pushing Cheyenne toward the house. We ran to the back door, and it opened, Carol shutting it behind us. This time we hadn't even had time to unpack yet. It had to have been pure luck. Daryl was nowhere in sight, so I figured he was out front. Opening the front door, I darted out with Cheyenne, the others on my heels. We were met with more walkers.

There was no time to make any kind of plan. My mind was screaming at me to get to Daryl. That was safe. Get Cheyenne to the car, and get to Daryl. Drive away. It was the only plan that had kept us alive so far. The walkers were stumbling toward us, snapping and snarling. Shoving Cheyenne forward, I kept her moving toward the vehicles. She kept looking back, for what I wasn't sure.

"Christ.." I heard Rick mumble as we ran, and I cut right, running toward the vehicles. Suddenly, Cheyenne broke away from me, running toward Carl.

"CARL!" She screamed. I turned, trying to grab her, but my fingertips only brushed her jacket. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Cheyenne ran toward Carl, who was oblivious that a walker was behind him and Lori. Carl turned, dodging the walker behind him, and Cheyenne tried to cut to the right. I screamed.

"CHEYENNE!" BAM she ran straight into the walker. Panic overtook me as I watched her struggle underneath the walker's grasp. I ran forward, slamming full force into the moving corpse, knocking it straight off of Cheyenne. The walker and I went rolling across the yard, and I caught myself, jumping to my feet. Daryl had Cheyenne in his arms, and he shoved her into Rick's vehicle. I ran toward him, and he grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the motorcycle.

We jumped on and took off, the others behind us. I had no idea who was okay, and who was hurt, if anyone. Looking around in panic, I watched everything disappear as we drove away. Once we were far enough away from the house, Rick beeped the horn and we stopped. Everyone seemed to jump out of their vehicles, and I was relieved to see everyone was fine. But looking around, I noticed someone was missing... Where was Cheyenne?

I walked away from Daryl and headed for Rick's vehicle. I could see Cheyenne sitting in the back seat. Tears were falling from her eyes, and I felt so awful. That must have been the most terrifying experience of her little life. _We gotta teach her to shoot soon as possible._ I thought, opening the door to her side.

"C'mon out Chy." I coaxed with a gentle voice. She didn't budge, didn't move. Just sat still, staring straight ahead. "Cheyenne, what's wrong?"

"It's done." Cheyenne whispered, and for a moment I wasn't sure I heard her correctly.

"What?" I asked, touching her hand. She jerked away and jumped out of the car.

"I'm done." Cheyenne sobbed, pulling her jacket up exposing her side. My heart dropped when I saw a small bite wound, blood trickling from her skin.

* * *

**To the Guest comment abt the generator, you CAN use a generator in a basement as long as it's portable and you have an outlet (such as a washer/dryer pipe leading to the outside of the house) but it is extremely frowned upon due to CM poisoning. But it's the apocalypse, come on now ! They gotta take what they can get here. And they have people on watch so if somethin was up, they'd no for sure.**

**Now I'm hopin I don't lose readers because of my decision that occurred in this chapter. I had to have some sort of event that would completely break Spencer and Daryl, and this was the only solution I could come up with. I know it's sad, but it's TWD. No one is safe.**

**Readers and reviewers are amazing as always !**

**~Kaila G.**


	29. Chapter 29

_Stay calm, Spencer. Mistake... Gotta be a mistake._ I lurched forward and grabbed Cheyenne, examining the bite. A small chunk of skin was missing, and it was bleeding. Not enough blood to cause immediate harm, but enough to be alarming. Despite knowing everything that was to come, my medical instincts kicked in.

"Someone grab me a cloth, towel, somethin'!" I yelped. I saw Daryl come around the side of Rick's vehicle, already ripping something up for me. He stopped abruptly when he saw Cheyenne holding her shirt up. Daryl's eyes fell on the bite, then up to me. I wanted to burst into tears, scream, go crazy. But everything inside of me just said _stay calm_.

"What happened?" Rick came around the side of the vehicle, kick starting everything back in motion. I snatched the cloth away from Daryl, who was just standing there not saying a word. Putting pressure on the wound, I ignored Rick's question and looked at Cheyenne. Her eyes were scared, but her tears had dried.

"Chy, ya gonna be fine, hear me?" I nodded my head, holding the cloth against her side. "Jus' fine."

"I don't wanna be one of those things." Cheyenne's eyes filled with fresh tears.

"Yer not. I won't let that happen." I grabbed the small child that had become like my own, and held her close. "Gonna do everything I can." I whispered.

"There's nothin' you can do." Cheyenne whispered back, and I felt her jerk as she let out a small sob. Holding back my tears, I rubbed her head.

"It's gonna be 'kay." I whispered soothingly. It was all I knew to do. Everyone seemed to be gathered around watching. Once Cheyenne stopped crying again, I let go of her and looked at Rick. "New ridin' arrangements. Me an' Chy'er ridin' with you."

"Can we talk?" Rick jerked his head away from the group. I followed him in silence, only noticing Daryl when I heard his footsteps beside me. Rick stopped, turned, and looked at us with sad eyes. "When the time comes-"

"She ain't gonna turn. Won't let'er." I cut him off harshly, my emotions getting the best of me.

"Spencer, your judgement is clouded." Rick said softly, and I laughed.

"My judgement is clouded." I mocked angrily. "Damn right, my judgement is clouded. She.. She is mine! She's like my, my own child. An she's bit. Now she's gonna die. An' there ain't a damn thing I can do 'bout it." I walked away, not being able to handle the discussion. I felt Carol and Lori's eyes on me as I scooped Cheyenne up and helped her into the vehicle. Carol would ride with Daryl, while I stayed with Cheyenne.

I could see Rick and Daryl talking, I guessed about where to go next, and I looked down at Cheyenne. She was staring out of the window, her blue eyes dull and blank. When the car door beside her opened, she didn't even look over to see who was climbing in beside her. She turned her head only when Carl grabbed her hand.

The two kids stared at each other, both red eyed. I had to look away, a tear slipping from my eye. Wiping it away quickly, I looked back at the two kids. I didn't want them to see me upset. It would just make things worse. Carl and Cheyenne were holding hands, just sitting in silence. Cheyenne closed her eyes and let out a breath.

Pulling her a little closer to me, I rubbed her head gently. Rick climbed into the car and we were off again. I didn't know where we were going to go, but I didn't really care. Everything I had been fighting for, trying so hard to protect, would be gone soon. Tears threatened my eyes again. Trying to clear my mind, I thought about what I needed to do.

We had to find an empty house. Rick knew that as well as I did. I knew I didn't have to say anything. Rick knew my plan. It seemed like it was the most decent thing to do. I promised my little girl I wouldn't let her turn, and I wouldn't do that. I couldn't let her become one of those things.

The drive was quiet and seemed to last forever, before we pulled up to a house. Looking down, I noticed that Cheyenne was wide awake, just staring out of the window. The car door shut, and Rick was walking toward the house. Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog followed him. Daryl looked at me through the window, his eyes I couldn't read. Looking away, I just held onto Cheyenne tighter.

The guys were in the house for a matter of minutes, before they reappeared. Daryl walked over to my door and opened it. I couldn't look at his face as I stepped out. _Don't make me look at ya, Daryl. I'll lose it._ I cursed him in my head. I turned to grab Cheyenne, but she was already in Daryl's arms. Following him to the house, I gave Cheyenne a weak smile. She sighed and snuggled closer against Daryl.

Taking a deep breath, I looked down as we walked across the porch to the front door. I couldn't look, I just couldn't. Watching her accept her fate was breaking my heart. She wasn't panicking, she wasn't begging for some miracle. Instead, my little six year old who had been through hell and back, was accepting that she was going to die. _Can't do this... YES YA CAN. Spence, gotta be strong for her. Suck up ya tears, dammit._

"Here, Spencer." Carol's voice pulled me out of my own thoughts. I turned to see her holding blankets.

"Thank you." I managed to half whisper.

"In here." Rick motioned for us to follow him. Walking behind Daryl, Cheyenne's eyes were looking heavy. Worry took over my body. Panic. Dread, fear. _I ain't ready for this! _We walked into the room, and Daryl layed Cheyenne on the bed. Covering her up, I watched her face, trying to see what she was feeling. Suddenly, her face squenched up.

"Water? I'm thirsty." She croaked groggily.

"Sure, baby." I left the room and walked down the hallway. Outside I dug through our slim pickings of supplies, and grabbed a bottle of water. Shutting the hatch quietly, my hand flew to my chest as a sob escaped. "Oh, God. Oh, God."

"Spencer?" Maggie ran over to me and grabbed me.

"Oh, God... Maggie." I cried, shaking my head against her shoulder. "Why? Why?" I couldn't say anything else.

"I dunno, Spencer." Maggie admitted, hugging me tight.

"I.. I shouldn't... have, have let'er run.." I cried.

"No! You can't blame yourself. It's no one's fault." Maggie said sternly. I backed away from her and wiped my tears away.

"Whatta I do now?" I asked, drying my eyes.

"Take her some water." Maggie, who had tears in her eyes, nodded at the bottle in my hands.

"Water, right." I said, more to myself. Walking past Maggie, I walked across the porch toward the front door. My chest tightened as I walked into the room where Cheyenne was laying on the bed. Offering up a smile, I handed her the water bottle.

"Thank ya." Cheyenne whispered, drinking the water eagerly.

"Knock, knock." Lori spoke softly at the door. I turned to see Carl beside her. "Carl wants to know if he can talk?"

"Of course." I nearly choked on my words. I gave Lori a thankful look. They weren't treating Cheyenne like a monster, and I was so grateful to them for that. Carl stepped into the room and sat down on the end of the bed. Cheyenne gave him a little smile.

"Cheyenne, you gotta hang on, 'kay?" Carl said, and his voice cracked a bit. Trying to fight the tears, I looked at Cheyenne's face.

"I ain't afraid, Carl." Cheyenne said quietly. "I used to be. But not anymore. I understand what's gonna happen to me, an' I'm okay with it. No more runnin'. Jus' go to sleep, an then I'll be away from all this... I'll be free." There were tears in her eyes, but she smiled. Daryl left the room in a huff, Cheyenne watching him go. I turned around and looked at Lori, who understood.

"Chy, I'll be back in a minute, 'kay?" I looked at her.

"Okay, go 'head." Cheyenne nodded permission for me to leave the room. I stepped out carefully, then charged down the hallway.

"Where's he at?" I demanded at Rick.

"Went out the back door." Rick said quietly. Darting out of the back door, I saw Daryl standing near the edge of a wooded area behind the house.

"The hell was that?" I demanded angrily.

"What?" Daryl whirled around, his eyes full of hurt and anger swirling into a blue mixture.

"Ya lil' exit!" I growled.

"I... When ya went to git'er water, I checked her head. Fever's already started." Daryl's eyes were locked on mine. Everything inside of me dropped.

"Already?... We gotta keep tabs on it... Oh, God." I stopped and looked up at him. "She needs us." My voice was blank as I turned around and walked back to the house. Daryl was right behind me as we walked through the back door and back to Cheyenne's room. Carl was holding her hand, and Cheyenne's eyes were closed. "Chy?"

"I'm 'kay." Cheyenne's eyes popped open, and her voice was weak. Her blue eyes were dull and the white was no longer visible. Bloodshot eyes stared back at me, and I knew that meant her fever was probably getting too high. Something inside of me pushed the panic down, and I took pain relievers from Carol. Cheyenne took it without question, and layed her head back on her pillow.

Everyone made their rounds, saying goodbye without actually saying goodbye. Keeping my mind focused on staying calm was the most difficult thing I felt that I ever had to do. No one bothered me, which I was grateful for. Sam and Catherine came in, and Sam talked to Cheyenne. Catherine didn't try, just stood by watching Sam talk to her.

Then Rick walked in the room. His face looked pained and tired. For a few moments he just stood by the door, it seemed as if he was gathering his thoughts. Giving me a sad look, he walked over to the bed and sat down beside Cheyenne. She looked up at him, trying to focus through the haze of her fever.

"Cheyenne, I just wanna tell you how brave we, I think you are. You're a wonderful little girl... And... I wanna thank you for takin' care of Carl. He loves you very much. I do, too. We all do... I just want you to know that you're very brave." Rick grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. Cheyenne smiled at him. Rick stood from the bed and walked past me, tears in his eyes. _Don't cry, Spencer. Not yet._

Soon the room was still, quiet. Daryl was sitting in a chair near the bed. Carl and I were sitting on the bed, watching Cheyenne sleep. Rick was right outside the door. Cheyenne began acting funny, mumbling things in her sleep. I felt sick to my stomach, I knew the time was coming fast.

"Patricia... I wanna ...see Patricia... Carl?" Cheyenne's voice mumbled.

"I'm here." Carl said. Glancing over at him I could see the tears.

"Cheyenne, we're here." I squeezed her hand. Daryl stood up and walked over to us.

"Chy." He said quietly.

"Spencer.. Daryl." Cheyenne smiled. "I... Ready...go." Her words weren't quite sentences, but I knew what she was trying to say.

"We love you, baby." I said, and my voice broke, the tears streaming down my face.

"Love..." Cheyenne let out a small whisper, and she was still.

"Daryl.. Daryl!" I jumped up, looking at Cheyenne. He leaned around me, checking her pulse.

"She's gone, no pulse." Daryl shook his head. I leaned down and tried to find a pulse. He was right, nothing.

"Carl..." I shook my head and pulled out my gun. Rick stood in the doorway, and Carl ran to him.

"Come on, son." Rick said quietly, but Carl refused to budge.

"No, Dad. I promised." Carl said firmly through his tears. The two stayed put, and I looked down at Cheyenne. Her eyes were closed, her face still sweaty. Her small body layed still on the bed.

_"Oh, she's so beautiful!" My heart melted at the small baby wrapped in pink._

_"She's my angel." My aunt grinned._

_"I love her already." I smiled down at the baby girl, kissing her soft cheek._

I aimed the gun at her head, my hand shaking. I just watched her small face... She didn't look dead! She just looked... Asleep...

_Cheyenne slid down the slide at the park, a huge grin across her face..._

Just asleep.

_"You buckled?" I asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"Yes, see?" She tugged on her lap belt to show it was secured._

I couldn't pull the trigger, what if she wasn't dead? I just stood, watching her sleep, the tears pouring down my cheeks. The memories of her kept coming.

_"Spencerrrr!" Cheyenne dove into my arms. I picked her up and held her close._

_"I missed you." I whispered to her._

_"Missed you." She whispered back._

This couldn't be happening, everything was so still and quiet. Cheyenne's pale face looked almost peaceful. She's dead...

_"I hearded you in the woods. You cussed." Cheyenne said, her blue eyes growing wide for a moment, then she giggled. I laughed._

She'd dead. She's dead. Not asleep. She's not asleep. She's dead.

_The walker dropped to the ground, and I saw Daryl grab Cheyenne up in his arms._

Not this time, she's gone.

_"Sophia!" Cheyenne's whimper was pitiful._

Please, don't let this be real, this isn't real.

_"Why was it in here in the first place?" Cheyenne asked._

_"Why ya ask so many questions?" I teased, and she grinned._

_"I already know." Cheyenne said quietly, and I tilted my head._

_"Know what?" I asked._

_"You been sleepin' in here." Cheyenne said. "I woke up a few times an' saw you was gone."_

_"How ya know I been in here?" I asked._

_"You like Daryl. An' Daryl likes you." Cheyenne explained and I laughed._

"Spencer."

_"Daryl!" Cheyenne cooed, giving him a big grin._

_"Hey Cheyenne." Daryl spoke softly._

_"Will you sit with me?" Cheyenne asked, and Daryl stepped into the tent and sat down._

"Spencer!" Daryl's voice.

_"Can I go play now?" Cheyenne begged._

_"One more set." I said, and was about to show her what problems to do when Daryl stopped me._

_"Awl, come on." he winked at Cheyenne. "Let'er go play."_

_"Yea!" Cheyenne nodded in agreement. I gave Daryl a playful glare._

_"Fine. Cheyenne, ya can go play."_

"Spencer!" Daryl stepped over to me and reached for my gun.

"NO!" I screamed at him, snatching away and pointing the gun back at Cheyenne's dead body.

_Looking around for Cheyenne, the noise of Daryl's motorcycle caught my attention. Looking over, I saw Daryl with Cheyenne in front of him, riding toward the house. Bumping Shay, she looked grinning at the sight. Cheyenne's hair was blowing as she smiled._

"Spencer, gotta do it now! She's gonna turn!" Daryl's voice was in my ear.

_Cheyenne gave me a kiss on the cheek, before reaching out to Daryl. I handed her over to him, and she held onto him tight._

_"Hey Daryl." Chy whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were tired, and she was relaxed now that Daryl had her._

_"Hey Cheyenne." Daryl said quietly. Chy wrapped her little arms around his neck._

"Spencer.." Daryl's voice was in my ear, and his hand was on mine. I held my gun in a death grip, staring at Cheyenne. Her body twitched.

_"Can ya gimme a push?" Cheyenne asked me, struggling on the swing. Giggling, I stepped forward._

_"Ready?" I asked, grabbing her on the swing._

_"Ready!" Cheyenne grinned. I let her go, and when she swung back, I gave a push. She got to swinging a decent pace, so I sat down in the other swing beside her and began swinging myself. Our laughter filled the air as we swung higher._

_"We're even." I laughed and Cheyenne gave me a grin._

_"Look I'm so high!" Cheyenne giggled as she swung higher than me._

I felt Daryl's finger slip over mine.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. I squeezed my eyes shut as his finger tightened over mine. He pulled the trigger. _We _pulled the trigger. The sound of her blood splattering the walls hit my ears. Opening my eyes, I stood still for a moment, before a sob escaped me. Turning into Daryl, I let out some kind of cry, caught somewhere between animalistic and agony.

"NOOO! NOOO!" I pounded my tiny fist against Daryl's chest. "YOU SAID YA'D KEEP HER SAFE!" Daryl held me tighter, taking my blows, allowing me to let it go. "YOU SAID NOTHIN' WOULD HAPPEN TO 'ER!" My screams echoed through the house. "DARYL!"

I snatched away from him and turned back to Cheyenne's body. Shaking my head, I ran from the bedroom. Ran down the hall, ignoring the looks from everyone. The tears. I ran for the closest door. T-Dog attempted to reach out and grab me, but I jerked away, letting out a scream.

"NO!" I growled, flinging the back door open. Not even bothering to look around, I ran to the edge of the woods and fell to my knees. My stomach heaved, and I gagged, but there was nothing to throw up. Trying to breathe, I pulled my knees to my chest and cried.

* * *

**Okay that was so hard for me. I teared up writing that chapter. There's not much I can say except that be ready for Spencer to spiral down. Dragging Daryl with her, or maybe he's jus spiraling down on his own. Ugh that was so pitiful. Sorry for the long update wait, and a HUGE THANKS to all my readers/reviewers who stick it out with me through the waiting and sad chapters ! You guys rock !**

**~Kaila G.**


	30. Chapter 30

I sat on the ground, my knees to my chest. Tears ran down my cheeks in streams. Nothing felt real. Nothing felt true. _Must be a dream... Must be some twisted, sick dream. Wake up, an' go check on Chy... Not a dream, SPENCER IT'S NOT A DREAM. SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S GONE! GONE, GONE, GONE. Dead... Dead..._

"Oh, GOOOOODDDD!" I screamed through my tears, as I began to rock myself back and forth. _Pinch ya self, it's jus' a sick nightmare._ Without lifting my head, I pinched my own arm. The sting set in the same harsh reality I was already trying to face. I didn't realize that my fingernails were digging into my arm, until I felt a wet, sticky substance under my fingers. Looking down at the blood, I let out another agonizing scream.

Thoughts of Cheyenne poured into my head. The gun aimed at her pretty little doll like face. I couldn't pull the trigger, and when she flinched it was like a sign of life. Even though I knew it wasn't the life she wanted, I wanted it to be the life I needed. I just wanted her to be alive, be okay. Come back.

But instead, Daryl had come to the rescue, as always. He was always the one to take over the tough work for the weak. I couldn't let him take the gun, because I had promised. But I also couldn't shoot her alone, either. Daryl knew that. He knew that we needed him. We had always needed him.

"Spencer?" His voice caused my stomach to wrench, and I jumped to my feet.

"HOW COULD YOU?" I screamed. "HOW COULD YOU LET HER GIT BIT?"

"Spencer-" Daryl stepped toward me, but I stepped back.

"NO! No, no, no! We failed! I FAILED! AT EVERYTHING! I FUCKED UP! I let'er go... I let'er down. I killed her." Suddenly I couldn't hang on any more. My knees buckled, and I just sat on the ground with a _plop_. Daryl was at my side in an instant.

"I... It ain't yer fault." Daryl's voice was weak, something I'd never been familiar with. Forcing myself to look up at him, I saw his blue eyes were watery. I couldn't speak, but the realization of her death just took it's toll and I felt as if my heart had been ripped out. Something inside of me snapped.

"Daryl? Help me up?" I asked calmly, wiping my tears away. He stood up and reached out for my hand. I took it, and he pulled me to my feet. Wiping my face, I looked up at him. "We needa go... My screaming prolly drew some walkers nearby."

"An'... Chy?" Daryl looked at me. Fighting tears, I bit the inside of my mouth hard before replying.

"We'll bury her. Here. Quick. Git Hershel, he can say what everyone needs to hear." I explained numbly. "Then we gotta go."

"Gonna take a while. Ground's hard." Daryl watched my eyes.

"I know." I nodded and walked back toward the house without looking back. Ignoring the others, I walked past eyes to the bedroom where Cheyenne was lying on the bed. Trying not to look at the blood splattered on the wall, trying not to look at the bullet hole in her head, I sat down on the bed beside her and grabbed her hand.

"I'm so sorry, baby girl." I whispered, touching her cheek. Her skin was already cool to the touch. Tears fell from my eyes. "Shoulda grabbed ya, but couldn't... Why'd ya run off? Yellin' was 'nough. Lori an Rick had 'em. I... I-I'm so s-sorry, Ch-Cheyenne."

I hung my head, and tried to stop myself from having another emotional break down. Feeling as if my lungs had quit working, I took a deep breath, just as Carol entered the room. Saying nothing, she walked over to where I was sitting and touched my shoulder. I wanted to jerk away, but only flinched at the human contact.

"I can't say anything to ease your pain. Because no one could ease mine." Carol said quietly. Her hand slipped off of my shoulder and she walked around the bed. My eyes caught her hands grabbing the white sheets as she began pulling them up closer to Cheyenne's face.

"No!" My hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She looked at me in shock, letting go of the sheet. "I-I'm sorry... It's jus'... I'll do it."

"Of course." Carol's voice was soft. She touched Cheyenne's face and looked at me. "I'll leave you alone for a bit." Her voice was understanding as she walked away from me.

Taking in a deep breath, I grabbed the sheet, but didn't move. I heard voices outside of the door, Daryl and Carol were having a disagreement about me needing to be left alone. Then it was quiet, and I felt someone in the room with me. Footsteps came closer, and a hand slid over mine, guiding the sheet up and over Cheyenne's face.

"Ya ain't gotta do this alone." Daryl whispered, and I leaned back into his frame.

"But I do." I whispered back, stepping away from him and walking to the doorway. "Everyone ready?"

"Yea. I'll carry her." Daryl made the statement firmly, and I mentally decided that was for the best.

Daryl stepped toward the bed and I watched as he hesitated for a moment. He stared down at the small frame of the little girl who used to be, who was now a small dead body underneath a white sheet. Leaning down, he carefully tucked the sheet around her dead body and lifted her from the bed. Daryl held her like a baby, being very gentle with her limp body.

My eyes caught the after math of the gun shot to her head on the wall, and I looked away quickly. Following Daryl, I shut the door to the bedroom and continued behind him down the hallway. Through the house, to the back door, outside in the back yard. Eyes watched as Daryl lowered Cheyenne's wrapped body into the small grave. I looked away as Daryl and Rick began shoveling dirt over her body, which seemed to take an eternity.

Shovel dirt, throw it on her body. It was a repeat process in which I had made myself finally look, and then couldn't pull my eyes away. Memories of Sophia's burial came into my head, only this time I wasn't the one behind the shovel. Now someone else knew what it felt like to watch dirt fall over a tiny body. And now someone else knew what it felt like to lose a child. Rick's words, "_She's yours now._" Those words floated through my head for so long, and now what was mine was gone.

"Spencer asked me to speak on behalf of Cheyenne, and I shall do so." Hershel started, his voice shaky. "I can't begin to understand why little Cheyenne had to suffer at the hands of this sickenin' disease that has been plagued upon us. She was a sweet and innocent soul, someone who brought life into a dead world. Cheyenne was a blessin' to all who she touched, and we are all grateful to have spent time with her in this world. As we are also saddened by the loss of a child we were connected to. Connected to on a personal level, she was a child to us all. I cannot even begin to think of words to give Spencer and Daryl any sliver of comfort, but I felt these words would be the best for little Cheyenne. Matthew 19:14 'But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.' Amen."

Tears slipped over the edges of my eyes as I stared down at her grave, Hershel's words running thick through my head. Things weren't settled with me yet. Everything was happening too fast, and I couldn't get my mind on the track to slow down for a second and process what had happened. What was happening. And that was probably a good thing.

Carl walked over to the mound of dirt, and placed two smooth rocks on top. Tilting my head slightly, I watched as he looked down at the grave. It broke my heart even more when I realized that now he was all alone, too. He had lost his best friend. He lost Sophia, and now he had lost Cheyenne too. Something in his eyes looked broken.

Not being able to watch anymore, I slipped away back to the house. I felt the pressure of everything weighing on me all at once. While it seemed as if my mind was in a thousand places, I couldn't get one thought in. I was a blank page, with no hope of any writing any time soon. Walking into an empty bedroom, I sat down on the bed and looked out of the window.

"Spencer?" Carl's voice pierced my thoughts, and I looked up to see the boy in the doorway. Not saying a word, I just sat still as he walked over and sat down beside me. He looked at me, and leaned over to me, putting his arm around my back. I lifted my arm around his shoulder, and hugged him.

I wasn't sure which of us started to cry first, but we both just sat on the bed crying together. Crying for the loss of a baby and a friend. I understood his pain and he understood mine. Or maybe we didn't understand, but accepted each other's pain. I couldn't turn Carl away knowing he was hurting. After a few minutes, Rick appeared in the doorway, his eyes sad.

Rick said nothing as I rubbed Carl's back and he wiped his eyes. Finally he stood and walked to his father, not saying anything else. Rick gave me a look, caught somewhere between sadness and agony. He was our leader and he had to fix everything. But he couldn't fix this and that broke him.

"Rick?" My voice croaked out his name.

"Yea?" He stepped halfway into the room.

"Can ya shut the door?" I asked blankly.

"Sure thing." He said quietly, stepping back into the hall and shutting the door behind him. Laying down on the cold bed, I stared at the window blankly.

Everything began to hit me at once. Cheyenne was gone, dead. We buried her in a little hole in a vacant back yard. No headstone, no mark to show she was ever here. Just a mound of dirt with two rocks set on top. We would move on in the morning, or even sooner if walkers came, and this place would be long forgotten. I didn't even know where we were. Just an abandoned house in the middle of somewhere.

Cheyenne was gone. What would I do now? She had been my main reason for pushing on. Ever since that day I awoke in the apartment and Shay had rushed into the door with Kevin, my main priority had been to protect Cheyenne. Do what's best for Cheyenne. Maybe I hadn't always made the best decisions, but I had done what I felt was right. That was the influence I wanted to be on Cheyenne. That was the example I had wanted to set for her.

And now none of that mattered. Every decision I had made. Every thing I had sacrificed. Everything I had fought so hard for... Gone. Gone in an instant. I had tried so hard to protect her. I had lost Shay, but still had Cheyenne and that kept me going. Now I had lost my little girl that I had tried so hard to protect.

Tears didn't fall at my thoughts, I wondered if I was all cried out. Something wiped through me, and I felt exhausted. Looking up at the window, I wished for two things. I wished I would wake up to all of this being nothing but a horrible nightmare. And I wished that I had Daryl by my side. That brought something that resembled comfort for me, and that was all I thought about as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I awoke with a start. A loud noise had made me jump from my sleep. Looking around, I couldn't see anything in the dark room. Just as my eyes were getting adjusted, a bright flash lit up the whole room, soon followed by a loud rumble. I shivered and looked around the room. Empty.

Cheyenne? Dead. The realization that I wasn't waking from a horrible dream dawned on me. _Wait! She might be sleepin' in another room. _Jumping from the bed, I moved quickly to the door, flinging it open. Looking into the closest bedroom, I saw Lori asleep. Turning away I walked quickly over to the next doorway. Carl was asleep on the bed, but Cheyenne was not there. She was nowhere in sight.

Knowing the awful truth, I ran away from the doorway and ran to the back door. I ran outside to the back yard, and when the lightening lit up the sky I saw the mound of dirt. But something else caught my eye. A wooden cross. I only caught a glimpse of it, but I saw it. I ran over to the grave and dropped to my knees.

The next flash lasted a few seconds longer and I saw the wood. _Cheyenne_ was carved into the cross. Laying my head on the fresh, cold dirt, I began to cry. I laid on the ground on top of her grave, my tears turning cold as they ran down my face. When it began to drizzle, I barely even noticed. My mind went elsewhere. To the days before the dead rose. To the days before my life went to hell.

_"Spencerrrrrr! I want ice cweam!" Cheyenne grinned up at me as the music flooded our ears. The ice cream truck was making its usual run through the park._

_"What kind?" I looked down at the small child, already knowing the answer._

_"Choc-late." Cheyenne tried her best to say it correctly._

_"That's my girl. Come on." I grabbed her hand and we walked toward the edge of the park parking lot to wait for the ice cream truck._

"Spencer?" Rick's voice flooded through my ears. I was shivering, and rain poured over me. Cold. So cold. "DARYL! Over here!" Away...slip away.

_I skated over to where Cheyenne had fallen. Her face was contorted in a pout, but I knew she wasn't hurt. Just upset that skating wasn't as easy at it looked. Holding out my hand, she grabbed it and I helped her up. I tilted my head, and raised an eyebrow._

_"Gonna lemme help ya now?" I asked. Cheyenne narrowed her eyes._

_"Fine. But don't lemme fall, please." Cheyenne's eyes widened a bit. I giggled._

_"I ain't gonna let ya fall."_

"Gotta git'er inside!" Daryl's voice drifted through my ears and I felt myself being lifted. I lashed out, trying to stop it, but I barely even lifted my arm. My teeth were chattering, and I was so cold. Strong arms carried me away from the rain, and suddenly I wasn't being pelted by the cold rain drops anymore.

"Build a fire, get her undressed." Hershel's voice, so full of concern. _An' for what?_ "Get under the covers with her, it's the only way to get her warmed up fast enough. She's goin' into shock. Her lips are blue... Everyone, OUT! Daryl just try to get her body temperature back to normal. When you've got her covered up, I'll bring her some water."

I felt hands on me, and my wet clothes were being peeled away. Cold... Everything was so cold. Except those hands, they were warm. They were Daryl. I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or if I was alive. Or if I was going to die. I could welcome that. If it would lead me to Cheyenne, I would welcome death. But something warm againt my back, and suddenly I was covered in...a blanket? It felt so warm, despite my shivering.

"Daryl?" I croaked barely above a whisper. It had to be him. His skin was warm and I could feel his heart beat against my back.

"I'm here." Daryl said quietly. Still shivering, I embraced the warmth of his body, as it began to shun away the cold. Slipping into an unconscious state, I found myself in a dark place. Trapped inside my own mind.

* * *

**Poor Spencer an Daryl ): So sad... I am really heart broken abt Cheyenne's death. I didn't think it would bother me as much as it did. I think now I do have some understanding of how it feels to have to write off (AKA kill off) a character. My dreams are to be a writer one day, so I guess gettin myself used to this now is a good thing... But it's still sad. **

**I feel awful for the things that Spencer is goin through. An I know it seems like for a minute she gets her head on straight but it's actually just her snapping into some sort of deep painful state. Things will get worse. Darker. Hopefully the 3rd season will come to me soon enough so I can get that part rolling along. Thanks again to my amazing REVIEWERS and READERS ! Yall make this all worth writing. **

**Oh an I hope I did okay on Hershel's speech. I tried to keep it in Hershel's character, while making it sad as well. Anyway, hope yall enjoyed this chapter, and thanks again to my lovely supporters !**

**~Kaila G **


	31. Chapter 31

_I sat on the long chair by my window. The sun beamed down on my face through the glass, and I watched as a bird soared in the sky. Wishing I could be in its place, I closed my eyes and imagined that I was a bird. Flying high in the sky. Flying away from this awful place._

_"SPENCER!" My father's voice bellowed from downstairs. Cringing, I stood up and walked from my room. Once to the hallway, I crept down the stairs wearily, afraid of what was to come. When I turned the corner, my father was standing in the kitchen, holding Sam by the arm._

_"What's goin' on?" I asked, and I knew the fear was showing in my eyes._

_"What did I tell ya two 'bout sneakin' out?" My father growled. The smell of alcohol filled the air._

_"We didn't!" I protested._

_"Ya did!" He yelled, shoving Sam away and staggering toward me._

_"But, we-" I tried to step back._

_"I SAID YA DID!" He roared, and suddenly I was on the floor, my cheek throbbing._

_"TIM!" My mother yelled, setting everything into a slow down._

_"I'll get you later." My father whispered harshly, before backing away from me. Shoving past my mother, he disappeared into the kitchen. Sam ran over to me and kneeled down beside me._

_"I won't let 'em do nothin' to you." _

_Darkness. A hand ran over my stomach and I giggled. Looking over, I smiled at Daryl who was kissing my arm. He kissed his way up to my neck. My chin. My lips. Kissing him back, suddenly we were one. He was rocking against me, and I kissed his cheek. My head leaned back against the pillow._

_But suddenly everything had changed. Daryl wasn't there anymore. My father's face was in the place of Daryl's, and he was grinning wickedly as he moved against me roughly. Screaming, I tried to hit him, but my hands wouldn't budge. He hit me in the face._

_"SHUTTUP, BITCH!" He hit me again._

I jumped, my eyes opening. A warm body pressed against me, and I panicked. Where I was and who was beside me had been forgotten. Pushing away from the body pressed against me, I struggled to get out from underneath the covers.

"Spencer?" A familiar voice, but fear held me trapped in my own mind.

"NO!" I scooted away, then turned to face the person. Daryl's blue eyes were looking at me questioningly.

"Daryl?" I whispered. I inched my way over to him. Reaching out my hand, I touched his face. His hand overlapped mine, his touch warm. Sweet. Loving. But I backed away again, the memories of the past day coming back to me. Cheyenne was really gone. "She's gone, ain't she?"

"Yea..." Daryl said quietly. My chest tightened and suddenly I felt shaky. My heart began to pound in my ears. Tears welled up in my eyes as my breath quickened. There was no controlling it. It was happening and I couldn't stop it. Daryl was at my side, his voice lost somewhere in my ears. I closed my eyes tight.

But then something changed. I felt something flowing through me, against my hand. _Bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum. _The feeling soothed every part of me. Lost in that feeling, that sound in my ears, I felt my breathing slowing down. Everything began to clear from my mind, only the beating of his heart was present. I opened my eyes.

Looking into his eyes, I saw Daryl, _really_ saw him for the first time in two days. His crystal clear blue eyes were dark. Circles lay underneath his eyes. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. The Daryl Dixon I knew never looked like this. Cheyenne's death had made the two of us weak. Daryl was never weak.

I did the only thing that I knew to do. Jumping into his lap, I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight. He seemed surprised at my actions, but I felt his arms wrap around my waist and tighten around my body. He pulled me a little closer and just held me. It was all I really wanted. Maybe it was all I really needed.

I wasn't sure how long we sat like that, but a noise at the door to my left caught my attention. looking over, I saw Maggie. She looked down at the ground seemingly embarrassed at intruding on a, what looked to be, a private moment. Pulling away from Daryl, I felt his arms let me go. Little did I know, that would be the last time they held me for a long while.

* * *

Hershel forced me to stay in bed. Walkers had been scarce in the area, despite my fears of the noise we had brought along with Cheyenne's death. I wasn't allowed to get up unless we had to flee, and that bothered me. Laying in the bed all day gave me too much time to think. To think about Cheyenne. To think about my nightmares. To think about Daryl.

I had a cold. The rain and cold weather that I lost myself to in my moment of weakness had attacked my body. Stuffy nose and a fever. To the average world that seemed like nothing. Just a little head cold, a normal person would be well in no time. But this world wasn't average or normal anymore.

No heat. No good medicines. No easy grab food. Immediate threats were everywhere. No, my sickness was a threat to not only myself, but everyone in the group. They were fighting to get me well as quickly as possible. Going on supply runs, gathering medicines and canned soups. Carol was feeding me asprins everytime I opened my eyes, or so it seemed.

But the one person I hadn't seen all day was Daryl. That morning when Maggie had come to check on me, Daryl had left without a word and I hadn't seen him since. I knew he was probably going on supply runs, but I didn't understand why he hadn't come around at all that day. Trying to brush it off, I looked out of the window by my bed.

The sky was cloudy and dull, the trees lifeless sticks swaying in the winter wind. My mind wandered off into space as I stared out of the window. My thoughts went to everywhere, but nowhere in particular. Everything burdened down on me all at once, suffocating me. Yet, I felt weightless.

_Cheyenne's dead. What's gonna happen to me? Die, death will be easier. Livin's too hard. What will Daryl do? He'll be fine without me. Where's he at, anyway? Safe? Bein' safe? I hope so... Oh, God. Cheyenne is dead. Why'd this happen to me? I wanna live. You wanna die. I wanna live! YOU WANNA DIE!_

I awoke with a start. Coughing, I sat up and looked around. I had fallen asleep. It was dark in my room, only a tiny bit of dark blue lit up the sky. My chest felt fuzzy, and I coughed again, trying to break up the congestion. That was new. So I was getting worse. Something moved and I looked over to see my door opening.

"Good, you're awake." Carol's voice broke the silence. "Gotta give you these pills. Hershel's orders. Daryl and Rick found a decent stash of meds."

"Where's Daryl?" I croaked, watching the pills drop into my hand. They were huge.

"He's... Out." Carol said quietly, handing me a cup of water.

"Out?" I asked, popping the pills in my mouth and quickly raising the cup to my lips. I fought to wash the pills down, then handed the cup back to Carol.

"Try and drink the rest of that... Yea, he said he was goin' out for the night." Carol's voice was quiet and low.

"Goin' out? Goin' out? For what?" I asked, looking out of the window into the darkening woods. I forced myself to drink down the rest of the cold water.

"Not sure. To hunt, I suppose. He'll be fine... Spencer..try and get some more sleep?" Carol looked at me with sad eyes, as she took the empty cup from my hands. I wasn't sure why she was looking at me like that, but deep down I felt something was off. Something was wrong.

I said nothing as Carol walked away from my bedside and left my room, shutting the door behind her. Laying back against my pillow, I wondered what Daryl could possibly be doing out in the woods this late at night. Hunting, of course, but why? Maybe it was just his way of blowing off steam.

_Where ya at, Dixon? Come back, please... Bring Chy with ya... Why's my head feel so funny? So cold..._ I pulled the covers up to my chin._ Maybe this whole thing's jus' a bad nightmare. Imma wake up to Cheyenne an' Shay in our apartment. Pizza in the fridge. Shay an' Kevin'll git us breakfast._

_Shay burst through the front door with Kevin, his arm bleeding all over the place... Riding in the truck, Cheyenne crying in the backseat. Shay trembling in the passenger seat, blood speckled across her ashen skin... People on the road! The road is blocked... Andrea and Amy. Dale. Daryl and Merle... Night fall, everyone standing around, then bombs being dropped. Run, RUN!_

_Following the group to the quarry. Merle laughing in the rearview mirror... Daryl charging up to me, his blue eyes cold and hard... Cheyenne eating spaghetti o's.. Losing Merle in the city. Going after him, only to find he wasn't there. Glenn captured, and going to rescue him. Walking through, Daryl's hand on my back for guidance. That first feel of something sparking between us._

_Back to the quarry, Daryl saving Cheyenne. Panic, Amy is gone. Left Jim at the tree, driving away. The passenger seat never looked so good, until I found myself sitting beside him... Arriving at the CDC, warm showers. Songs, T-Dog making me sing. Cheyenne blasting me out, telling them I had to sing..._

_Jenner's gone mad, the CDC is going to blow, time to go. No way out, Rick. Oh, but Carol's got your grenade. Duck and cover, duck and cover. BOOM! Deaf for a few moments... Andrea and Dale... Jacqui? Daryl pushing me out of the broken window. Running from the CDC. Daryl covering Cheyenne, then BOOOOM! _

_Big blast, rumbling of a thousand thunders, and a heat wave unlike any other. Ringing in my ears. Lift my head up to see Andrea and Dale jogging toward the RV. "Andwea!" Cheyenne's so excited that she's alive. So am I... Splitting up, on to the RV. Away from Dixon. Drive on, drive on Dale._

I sat up, confused. My head was in a daze. The world was spinning, forcing me to lay back down. I squeezed my eyes shut._ Under the cars! Where's Sophia? Rick comes back empty handed. Search party at first light. Carol's eyes so dark and unforgiving, so hurt. Sad. But it's not Rick's fault! Stop blaming him! The church... On a timer. The bells were on a timer._

_The deer, oh how beautiful! Carl only wanted to reach out to it... BAM! Carl's blood covered my hands, and the over weight man panicked, shouting out directions. Hershel. Carrying Carl to Hershel's farm... Carl screaming, holding his hand... MUST GET LORI. On the horse with Maggie. Saved Andrea, jumped off, Lori's gone._

_Back to the road, Dale with his twenty questions... Cheyenne, Carl's been shot. Oh, that face full of agony. Shay helping me... Daryl cleaning me up, his hands so soft. So forgiving in an unforgiving world... Shay taking Chy to safety... Smoking cigarettes with Daryl on top of the RV... Leaving the road. On to the farm._

_Search, search, search... Nothing. Daryl at the edge of the woods, looking like a walker. Oh, but he's not! He's alive! He's shot... Screaming, looking, he's alive. ANDREA! Can't get her... Stitching Daryl's head... Sleep in his tent, best sleep I ever got... Walkers in the barn... Shane lost all control. The barn doors open._

_Must shoot, Cheyenne's behind me. Walkers dropping, Hershel's crying, Maggie's crying, Beth, Patricia.. Then it's over. But it's not over. Sophia comes staggering out. Oh God, we'd been looking for so long, and there she is. A fucking walker. Rick shoots her, drowning out Carol's cries. _

_Dig, dig, dig. Sophia's little body in the hole. Shovel dirt, shovel dirt, shovel dirt. Gone. Her face disappeared into the soil. Gone... Randall... Sam and Katherine... The fight with Dale to keep Randall alive. Andrea and myself defend Dale... Dale's screams, Andrea and I run to him. Daryl knocks the walker away, but it's too late. It's always too late. He's dying, he's in pain, he can't be saved. Shoot him! Daryl's eyes beg mine to look away. Cheyenne and Carl sob. The gunshot echoes through my brain. Throwing up._

_Katherine in my face, Sam in my face. Daryl and Rick to the rescue... Randall escapes... The farm is over run. On the motorcycle with Daryl, shooting walkers. Gotta find Chy and Carl.. Run to them! Go! Daryl's yelling for me to stop... Grab the kids... Where's Daryl? Back on the road, no Daryl... Hershel says we should go. But we don't have to. The roar of engines bring the group back._

_But Shay is gone. Andrea is gone. Patricia, Jimmy... Shane, no loss there. Off to nowhere. Off to the tragic nothing that our lives became. Off to survive, only to watch Cheyenne die. Yes, Cheyenne's DEAD,_

Jumping from my sleep, I looked around the room in a daze. _Where am I?_ I closed my eyes tight, and opened them again. Throwing the covers off of my body, my bare feet touched the cold floor, sending shivers up my spine. The world was spinning slowly, and I thought I might fall. Stumbling to the door, I opened it quietly and stepped into the hallway. Voices, I could hear voices. Squinting my eyes to the light, I stepped into the living room area.

"Spencer? What are you doing out of bed?" Carol rushed over to me.

"Get her back in bed!" Hershel ordered. "The medication might be making her hallucinate." My eyes caught sight of Daryl.

"Daryl? Daryl!" I fought Carol's grip. "Lemme go!"

"Daryl?" Hershel's voice was strained. Through the daze, I saw Daryl get up and walk over to me. I heard Hershel's hushed voice. "Talk to her, do somethin', anything to get her to sleep! If she doesn't rest, she may very well die."

"Come on, Spencer.." Daryl's hand was on my back, guiding me back down the hallway.

"I don't wanna go back in there." I whispered quietly. "Take me away."

"No, ya gotta sleep." Daryl's voice wasn't soft like I remembered before. He sounded like the Daryl I met back at the quarry. Back at the quarry.

"Daryl, don't leave me." I begged, as he led me back to the bed. He was quiet as he gently, but firmly, forced me to lay down. "Daryl please?"

"Spencer, jus' lay down, dammit!" He growled, pulling the covers up over my body.

"Please, please. Don't leave me." I begged, grabbing his arm. He wrenched free and leaned down close to me.

"Go to sleep, girl. Leave this bed 'gain, I'll tie ya to it. Understand?" His voice was cold and hard... It reminded me of... Merle.

"Daryl?" I whispered, staring at him though the fuzziness in my head.

"Understand?" He asked harshly.

"Yea." I croaked.

"Sleep." He ordered.

"I can't without ya..." I whispered holding onto the image of him beside me. I tried to fight the darkness sweeping over me. _So sleepy...so tired... "Sleep" _Daryl's voice played in my head.

"Better off without me." Was the last thing I heard him say, before my body gave into sleep.

* * *

**Well, ya guessed it. Daryl's shrinking inside of himself and mourning over Cheyenne's death. It has to get worse before it can get better, right ? I am so enjoying doing this story. It's so weird to go back and re-read the story from chapter 1 to present. I have come so far with this story, and I think it had been more successful than Tame My Heart... I really like where this story has gone, and I am excited on where it will go ! I am also excited to do another story sometime in the future. I also am into Dragon Ball Z, and will be doing a Vegeta/Bulma story one day soon. But no worries, this story is far from over and I will be doing another Walking Dead Daryl fan fic when I finish this one, or even before then. I come up with ideas everyday in my head for new stories. I guess being a writer does that ! hehe**

**Anyway I would like to get on with this by saying DOUBLE TRIPLE THANK YOU to all my READERS and REVIEWERS ! You guys rock ! Without having supporters, my story would be pointless, meaningless. It is wonderfully awesome to have people who like to read my story ! SO THANK YOU ! **

**I am turning my PM on, and with my next chapter I will answer any questions whether about this story, or my future one, so feel free to send me your questions, and I will answer them in my next Author Note ! **

**~Kaila G**


	32. Chapter 32

_Darkness. I ran through the darkness, blinded by the thick black. I couldn't see a thing. It was freezing cold, and my teeth chattered loudly. Sounds were all around me, some I recognized, some I didn't. My father's laughter, that evil cackle he did before smacking us around. The gurgles and growls of walkers, right next to my ear. I ran faster._

_Where was I? I wasn't sure I even wanted to know. My eyes couldn't adjust, it was just pitch black. I ran blindly, trying to find a light. Trying to escape the frightening noises that followed so closely behind me. Every little noise sounded like it was right next to my ear. Maybe there was no escape. How do you escape your own mind?_

_My mother's voice called out, "You'll never get away, Spencer!" I'll never git away... I'll never git away... What the hell... That a light? I made a mad dash through the darkness toward the small speck of light. The light grew, the closer I got. I slowed down to a jog when I made out a figure. It turned around... Daryl!_

_I ran the few steps left and jumped into his arms. Warmth, it was like covering me with a heated blanket. My arms locked around his neck. His cheek was warm against mine, his stuble prickly. He felt so real, so alive. Was I dreaming? Was this all real? Where were the others? I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of him._

_Suddenly he was trying to free himself from my grip. I realized he hadn't even hugged me back or made any gesture of affection. Trying to tighten my grip, I wanted to hold on and never let go. But he was stronger, and jerked free of my arms, pushing me back. I looked at him in shock at his actions._

_"Better off without me! Stay away, Spencer!" He growled, his eyes were hard, his voice cold._

_"Daryl, stop! This ain't right, ya jus'-" I tried, but he cut me off._

_"I DON'T WANT YA! GIT AWAY! YA BETTER OFF THAT WAY!" He yelled. I was being pulled backward. Looking around I saw nothing, but something was pulling me backward. Daryl just turned his back and walked away. I began screaming._

_"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME! DARYL, DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!" I yelled to him. He got smaller and smaller, until he was only a figure in the distance._

_The figure stopped and started walking toward me. He's comin' back for me! But... It wasn't Daryl. It was small, long blonde hair... I noticed that I was standing still, nothing holding me back. Walking forward slowly, I got closer to the little figure. A little girl. She lifted her head, and everything inside me froze. Cheyenne._

_"Chy? CHY!" I ran forward and grabbed my little one. She grabbed me back and I could hear her crying._

_"Spencer, you an' Daryl let me die!" She cried. My heart shattered._

_"No baby... I tried... Ya ran off... I tried!" I cried, holding her close._

_"He don't want you, he never wanted you. He wants to kill you. Watch you die... I WANT TO KILL YOU!" Cheyenne's voice changed with that last sentence, sounding like some monster growling out the words. _

_I stumbled backward, looking at the Cheyenne. Her face was contorted into a snarl, her eyes cloudy. The same look I saw in Sophia's eyes when she exited the barn. Cheyenne staggered toward me, her little body being urged on by the need to feed. Her bones jutted out underneath her grayish skin. The left side of her cheek was missing. A single bullet hole was showing on her forehead, blood trickling down her face._

_"We shot you... How's this happenin'?" I mumbled, trying to scoot away from her._

_"BECAUSE I'M GONNA GET YOU!" My father's voice came from her lips as she pounced. Throwing my arms up in defense, I screamed._

"GIT OFF! GIT OFF ME!" I screamed, my eyes popped open and I jumped up. Everything was hazy, but there were people in my room. _I'm gonna die._

"Spencer! Calm down!" Glenn was at my side, Maggie at the end of my bed. They were blurry, and I just knew what was coming. They were going to turn and jump on me. Curling into the corner of the wall, trying to melt into my bed, I pulled the covers up over my head.

"GIT AWAY!" I screamed. My head was pounding, and I felt hot. _Oh, God I was prolly dyin'._

"Spencer?" A voice... _That Rick?_ I was afraid to look. I didn't want to look over the covers. They'd be waiting for me, and when I took the covers off, they'd attack. They attack when they get close.

"GO AWAY! YA AIN'T REAL! NONE OF IT'S REAL!" I screamed. I put my hands over my ears, and squeezed my eyes shut.

"You need to take some medicine!" I heard Maggie's muffled voice.

"She's delusional. We need Daryl." Glenn mumbled.

"Daryl's bein' a jerk right now, we'll have to do!" Maggie snapped. Aggitation in her voice.

"You know how he gets when he's hurtin'." Rick said. "I'll try to get him to help us out. I know he cares."

"I understand he's hurtin', we all are!" Maggie again. "But look at her, Rick! She needs him, now! She is sick, delusional. She thinks we're gonna hurt her.."

"I know, I'm goin' to get him." Rick said, and I heard his footsteps leaving the room.

"Spencer, please." Glenn pleaded with me. I just rocked back and forth under the covers, trying to ignore the voices. Trying to escape, my mind went to the past. Memories flooded my head.

_I sat up. "Where you goin'?"_

_"Calm down, girl. Jus' gonna check 'round. Make sure everything's quiet." Daryl growled, and I nodded my head sleepily._

_"Do ya think Rick an' Glenn'er okay?" Daryl shrugged, still staring at me._

_"If they ain't back by tomorrow, I'll go lookin' for 'em." Daryl said._

_"I wanna go." I said, feeling sleepy again. I yawned._

_"Sleep." Daryl mumbled, and I nodded, rolling over away from him._

_"Daryl?" I whispered._

_"Hm?" He grunted._

_"Will you hold me?" I asked quietly, expecting him to either leave the tent or say no. Daryl didn't answer me, but I felt him move toward me. His arm came around my side, his hand against my stomach. Pulling me closer to him, I felt his breath tickle across the back of my neck. I shivered slightly, causing him to tighten his grip._

"Spencer?" Voices... Stop the voices.

_"Daryl, wait!" I called, and he turned around. I reached one arm behind my back, grabbing my other arm in the crook of my elbow. "I need'a favor."_

_"What ya want, girl?" He asked, looking back toward camp._

_"Can we go into town?" I asked quietly. "I need'a get some stuff."_

_"Can't ya ask Glenn?" Daryl looked at me._

_"Don't he go enough?" I asked. "Oh, come on. It'll be fun."_

_"Fun?" Daryl sounded skeptical._

_"Fine, maybe not fun. Jus'.. Please?" I poked out my lip slightly. Daryl stared at me for a moment before sighing._

_"Aight, fine. Takin' the motorcycle. Here." Daryl took off his vest jacket and handed it to me. "Ain't ya got somethin' warmer to wear?"_

_"That's why we're goin' into town." I smiled as he rolled his eyes._

_"World's gone to shit an' I'm takin' ya window shoppin'." Daryl huffed._

"Spencer!" A familiar voice broke through my thoughts. "Snap yer ass outta it!" The covers were snatched off of me. Daryl stood in front of me, his eyes searching mine. He sat down on the bed, and I pressed myself further into the wall.

"Git away. Please." I begged in a whisper.

"The hell's wrong with ya?" Daryl growled. "Take these." He held out his hand. More pills.

"I-I dunno what's real... Dreams, memories... I'm losin' my mind. Yer prolly not real." I said quietly, wrapping my arms around my knees.

"I'm real." His voice was suddenly softer, and I looked into his eyes. I saw hurt and anger... And something new. Something odd. Something that looked like fear.

"If ya say so." I mumbled, taking the pills from him. His hand was warm. Just like I remembered. "Yer jus' like in my memories."

"What?" Daryl looked at me with confusion.

"I... I think 'bout us when I panic, or when my dreams git too much to handle. I wake up confused, dunno what's real. But yer real to me, even if only in my mind. Am I awake?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Yea." He leaned over and felt my head. "Lay down." Daryl instructed.

"I don't wanna sleep anymore! It's scary!" I protested.

"Lay down." Daryl growled. "Ya ain't gonna git better 'less ya listen!"

"I... Daryl?" I whispered, shivering.

"Jus' sleep." Daryl ordered.

"No." I growled, my teeth chattering.

"Fine, ya wanna die? Go 'head." Daryl snapped, getting up and walking away from my bed. He left my room, slamming the door behind him. I didn't even have time to protest. I felt tears in my eyes, but I blinked them back. _No more cryin'._

"Spencer?" Maggie's voice. I looked over at the door.

"Hey." I croaked.

"Ah, Daryl brought you back." Maggie grinned. She had a bowl in her hands. Walking over to my bedside, she handed me the bowl and gave me a sad smile. "He's pissed at you."

"I know, but I can't sleep!" I mumbled.

"I think everyone heard him... Carol's givin' him hell." Maggie laughed lightly.

"Why?" I asked, shoving a spoonful of soup in my mouth.

"For bein' an ass." She replied.

"Hey Maggie? Do me a favor?" I asked, before she walked toward the door.

"Yea, sure?" Maggie looked at me for instruction.

"Can ya git Rick?" I ate another bite of soup.

"I'll get 'em now." She said, walking toward the door.

"Thanks. An' for the soup." I offered the best smile I could muster up. She laughed and flashed me a thumbs up.

"Just get better." She said quietly, before walking through the door. Within a few minutes, there was a small knock on the door. I looked up to see Rick step inside the room.

"You wanted to see me?" Rick asked, walking over to a chair near my bed and taking a seat.

"I wanna say thanks. Thanks for goin' out an' gettin' supplies to help me." I gave him a little smile. "I think I'm dyin'."

"You ain't gonna die." Rick shook his head, leaning forward in his chair. "You're so strong, Spencer. You will is strong. You're gonna be just fine. I know it. The group knows it... Daryl knows it. He's hurtin', and he doesn't want anyone to know. Or make it better. Daryl thinks he has to make everything okay for himself. He doesn't realize he needs you more than he knows... He's upset about Cheyenne and he doesn't know how to handle you bein' sick."

"I have nightmares. When... When I wake up, everyone I see... I dunno what's real an' what's my imagination. I dunno if it's the fever or the meds... All I know, is when I think 'bout Daryl... I'm okay." I explained.

"He's kickin' himself pretty hard right now. You do know he didn't mean what he said, right? He may not be ready to face that anytime soon, but he didn't mean it." Rick grabbed my hand. "He loves you. I dunno if he's told you that. I can see it. We all can see it. When you were layin' out there in the rain, he went crazy. He was in a panic. He did all that he could, every little thing Hershel advised to do, he did it. He loves you Spencer. I dunno if he'll ever tell you. But he does."

"Thank you." I whispered, trying to keep from crying. "Thank you, Rick. Yer the best."

* * *

I felt like shit. My head was pounding. I was coughing every five minutes, or so it felt that way. My nose was stuffy, my eyes kept watering. Hershel was constantly worrying over my fever. It would go down a few notches, then shoot back up. The highest it had been was a hundred and two point nine. Maggie and Carol were checking up on me every half hour.

I wasn't allowed random visits. I had to be wide awake, because if not I'd go crazy. My dreams were constant and most of the time I thought they were real. I'd beg everyone to stay away from me, and when they came too close, I'd just beg for Daryl. But he never came. I never saw him. I wished everyday that he'd just come into my room and say something, anything.

The thing that I found strange, was that ever since the talk with Rick, I had been sleeping through the night. I had awful nightmares during the day, and often awoke in a panic. But at night, I slept almost peacefully. No nightmares, no dreams at all actually. Just deep, dark sleep. I found that peaceful, I'd had rather had no dreams than bad ones.

Still, I wondered why the sleep came so easily at night. While I had no complaints, I just wondered why. Maybe I was getting better. I still didn't feel good at all, so I wasn't sure. Honestly, I didn't too much care what happened to me. Nothing really mattered anymore. The world had dealt me a hand that I hadn't been prepared to deal with. And I wasn't dealing too well.

I lost Shay and Andrea. Cheyenne was now gone. Daryl was pretty much gone. He had only come to me to try to calm me down, not because he wanted to. I hadn't seen him since the day he snapped at me and left my room. Even if I did get better, what would become of us? Would he just ignore me forever? Would he leave the group? I tried to ignore all the awful questions that popped into my head when I thought of him.

That night, I closed my eyes, feeling drowsy. Drifting off to sleep, I suddenly felt safe. It was like a presence around me. Almost like a sense of security, like I knew I was safe. It felt like... Daryl. That was the feeling I had felt every night as I fell asleep. It felt like he was right beside me. My mind must have created that thought of him being beside me to help me get rest. But still, it felt nice to feel him near me. Even if only in my sleep. Only in my mind.

* * *

**Poor Spencer ! She jus ain't doing so hot ! She is losing her mind and Daryl's jus off being a meanie weenie head... But things will get better eventually... I hope ! **

**Don't forget to ask your questions ! You can ask in a review or private message (PM) me and ask anything abt my story, past stories, future stories ! I will be happy to answer and do a Q/A on an author note ! So ask away !**

**I would like to give a HUGE shout out (I'll be doing individual ones again soon !) to all my READERS, REVIEWERS, FOLLOWERS, FAVORITERS ! You guys keep me inspired ! I love to see the reactions I cause when I write. It makes me feel like I am doing something right, and that keeps me inspired to write more. This story has been challenging to keep interesting (since I don't have the 3rd season yet), so I hope I have done a good job. I am so excited to write the chapters with the Governor. He is so evil and I can't wait to do the Daryl/Merle/Spencer stuff either. Cause if you recall, Merle and Spencer didn't exactly get along very well. After all, Spencer did kick him... Haha so I'm really happy that my wonderful supporters like the story so far. It only will get better/crazier/sadder/worse/steamier from here ! We'll just have to see what happens !**

**Don't forget to ask any questions you have !**

**Thanks again for being amazing !**

**~Kaila G.**


	33. Chapter 33

I awoke to sunlight flooding through the window. The light hurt my eyes, and I felt uneasy. Rolling away from the window, I noticed a figure sitting in the chair across the room. Closing my eyes and then opening them, I squinted to see Katherine sitting there, just watching me from where she sat.

"Why ya in here?" I croaked, struggling to sit up.

"Came to check on ya." She replied, sitting forward, her elbows on her knees. Tilting her head slightly, she stared at me. "You know, it must be awful."

"What?" I asked, glaring at her. I pulled the covers up closer, trying to bury myself away from her.

"The fact that he's hurt. You blamed him for your mistakes. Now he is tryin' to avoid bein' hurt again. He lost Cheyenne, now he's losin' you. Sits in here every night like a damn lost puppy. But he don't need you. You don't need him, either. We need to leave here. You ain't gettin' any better." Katherine said, her voice on the verge of malice.

"No. Yer not my family. They are. Leave me alone." I growled, rolling over toward the window.

"How dare you? I am your mother!" I heard her jump up from her chair. Whipping back around, I saw her coming closer to my bed.

"GIT AWAY!" I screamed. "GIT OUT!" Footsteps made my head dizzy as my door burst open.

"Ya heard 'er! Git out!" Daryl's voice. I sat straight up, slinging my legs over the bed.

"Daryl!" I cried out, trying to stand up.

"Look what ya did now!" Katherine snapped.

"Spencer, sit down, jus' sit.." Daryl was at my side, his arm around my waist. He looked at Katherine. "Git out."

"Listen to him." Sam's voice. Then they were gone, and it was just me... And Daryl. He was really here.

"Daryl." I whispered, throwing my arms around his neck. "Please don't leave me." He sat down on the bed, forcing me to sit with him. I held onto him with a death grip, refusing to let go. For a moment, I didn't realize that his arms were around me. When I did, relief rushed through me. "I'm sorry. So sorry. It was my fault!"

"What?" Daryl pulled away from me, looking into my eyes.

"It wasn't ya fault." I cried. "I had her, Daryl. I had her an' I let'er go. I tried to grab'er, but she jus' ran off. It was all my fault."

"Ya gotta stop. Look'a me, girl." Daryl lifted my chin with his finger. "Gotta stop. Makin' ya self sick. Ain't gettin' no better, an' we cain't stay here forever."

"It jus' hurts." I said quietly, watching his eyes.

"I know." Daryl nodded, looking down. "But I'm here."

"You ain't been. Been gone away." I said, grabbing his hand. His fingers slid over mine gently.

"No, I been here." Daryl grunted. "Every night."

"No wonder I slept without the nightmares." I looked at him with tired eyes. "I'm tired, Daryl... I'm tired."

"Gotta keep goin'." Daryl shook his head. "Gonna git better."

"But I'm tired!" I cried. "I'm tired! Jus' wanna sleep, an' sleep, an' sleep. Jus' go... It could be so much easier'n this. It could all jus' end... Go to sleep, never hafta wake up.."

"This ain't you, Spence." Daryl grabbed my shoulders. "Ya ain't that girl. Ya don't give up. Ya fight. Ever since I met ya, been a fighter. Givin' up ain't an option, got it?"

"Can't keep doin' this." I shook my head.

"Ain't got no choice. Ain't lettin' ya give up. I'll do what I gotta do. Fight for ya, if ya cain't fight for ya self." Daryl said quietly, but I could hear the emotion in his voice.

"Feels like I'm disappearin'... Daryl, don't lemme disappear."

"C'mere." Daryl said, pulling me closer to him. He layed me down, settling down beside me. I faced him, pressing my body into his. Reaching up, I touched his face with my hand. He placed his own hand over mine against his face. Leaning into my hand, he closed his eyes. "Feels so good."

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Jus' bein' beside ya. Touchin' ya." Daryl mumbled. I leaned into him even more, touching his forehead with mine.

"Must be dyin'." I whispered, huffing out a chuckle.

"Huh?" Daryl looked at me, his hand brushing over my cheek.

"Yer bein' so nice to me all'a sudden. Figured I must be..." I trailed off shaking my head. "Feels like it."

"Baby, look." Daryl said the words, and they seemed so foreign, yet so natural. The look in his eyes showed that it had just slipped out, but it comforted me, and he seemed to notice. "Ya ain't gonna die. Yer sick. Real sick. But we got ya medicine, good stuff, too. Know ya feel like shit, but ya gittin' better."

"Imma git better." I agreed, trying to smile.

"I'm sorry. Sorry for leavin' ya when ya needed me. Sorry for everything I cain't make better for ya." Daryl pulled me closer. Feeling tears in my eyes, I welcomed his arms tightening around me.

"How do we keep goin'?" I asked. "We lost everything."

"Dunno. But we will. Always have. Lost before." Daryl replied, his hand tangled in my hair. His fingers scratched gently at the back of my neck, sending me into a daze.

"All we do." I mumbled.

"Feel good?" Daryl asked, his fingers still tangled in my hair, rubbing against my skin.

"Yea." I whispered. Resting my hand on the side of his face, I wrinkled my nose slightly at the stubble prickling against my skin. Brushing over his lip with my thumb, I sighed. _This is what I been missin'. I missed him_. I relaxed, feeling his heart thumping through his clothes. "Tell me bout you'an Merle."

"What 'bout?" Daryl asked quietly.

"Anything." I encouraged. He was silent for a moment, before chuckling.

"Once, Merle was off in juvy, I got lost. Livin' out in the damn woods for days... Wiped my ass with the wrong damn leaf." Daryl was smirking as he told the story.

"Who found ya?" I asked.

"Hell, nobody. After sufferin' from my itchy ass, I found my way back home." Daryl mumbled. "Straight to the kitchen an' made myself a sandwhich." I laughed.

"Got lost once. Sam found me." I said. "He always saved me, way back when."

"Seems like a good brother." Daryl nodded.

"Was Merle?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"At times... He had faults. But he made me who I am." Daryl said quietly.

"I'm sorry we lost him. I wonder 'bout it a lot." I admitted.

"Why?" Daryl asked, looking at me with curosity.

"Cause I feel like he's part of you, an' yer missin' that part 'cause he's gone." I mumbled.

"We've all lost." Daryl said again.

"He may be jus' that... Lost." I raised an eyebrow. "Ever wonder if we got other groups out there?"

"Imagine it's possible." Daryl shrugged against the bed.

"Dunno how to cope with losin' Chy... But I know you'll git me there." I whispered, rubbing my hand across his cheek. "After all, ya gotten me this far..."

"Gotten me this far." Daryl muttered against my cheek. I felt tears in my eyes, but blinked them back. Looking up at him, I kissed his chin lightly. The stubble prickled against my lips, and I didn't realize how much I had missed the feel of him. Until then.

* * *

"Now, I know you haven't been feelin' good, Spencer." Hershel was standing beside where I was sitting at the kitchen table. "But your color is comin' back into your face. You may think it crazy, but you need to go outside into the sun a bit. It's midday, not as cold as usual. Daryl." Hershel looked to Daryl, who was propped up against the door frame.

"Aight. Let's git some sun, then." Daryl smirked, walking over to me. I stood up, and he grabbed my arm gently. Looking up at him, I stopped moving, raising an eyebrow.

"I think I got it." I mumbled playfully. Giving me a teasing grin, he let me go. Bundled up in warm clothes, and a blanket, I followed Daryl outside onto the roof. Rick greeted me with a warm Officer Friendly smile.

"Spencer, you look better." Rick offered. I laughed.

"Thanks, feelin' better." I looked over to see Carl sitting at the edge of the roof. He turned back toward me, his face tired. I walked over to where he sat. "Hey, bud."

"Hey." Carl said, his voice blank.

"How ya been?" I asked, nudging him.

"Okay." He nudged me back. "Miss her."

"I know. Me too." I nodded in agreement. "Very much." I draped an arm over Carl's shoulders and pulled him close. "Don't be so hard on ya self."

"Shoulda been payin' better attention." Carl said quietly.

"Nothin' ya coulda done." I said back. "Jus' gotta learn to remember who she was. Not what she coulda been."

"Guess so." Carl's voice cracked. Kissing the top of his head, I rested my chin on the middle of his head.

"We'll git through it." I tried to sound truthful, but I knew I sounded doubtful myself. Standing up, I walked away from the edge of the roof, back toward Rick. I saw Glenn and Maggie, and I couldn't hold in my smile.

"It's so good to see you back to normal." Glenn muttered, pulling me into a hug. Caught off guard, I hugged him back. Once he pulled away, Maggie was grabbing me. I held onto her, realizing how much I did need these people.

"How long do we need before we can move on?" Rick asked, looking at Hershel. Maggie gave me a wink.

"I'd say she's good to go for a ride. Bet she's been missin Daryl and the motorcycle." Maggie teased. Everyone laughed, even Daryl, who's face seemed a shade redder.

"Soon. A few days give or take." Hershel advised. I looked up at Rick.

"Know where we'll be headin' next?" I asked.

"Wherever we can find stability. Supplies. Runnin' short on everything." Rick was honest. He looked at me and gave me a sincere look. " I am glad to see you. Up and lookin' much better. I... I was worried, there for a bit."

"So was I." I admitted. Rick put a hand on my shoulder, before walking over to Carl. I looked back at Daryl, squinting from the bright sun light. "Dixon?"

"Yea?" He looked at me. I stepped close to him, and stood on my tip toes. My lips brushed against his ear.

"Yer a good man." I whispered. He grabbed my side and pulled me closer to him.

"Only for you." He growled playfully against the side of my face. I sighed, just leaning against him.

* * *

**Sorry for the long update wait and such a short chapter ! I so enjoyed the Walking Dead marathon they did this past weekend ! Even though I was workin through most of it (sucked) but I got to watch some... Wahhhh I'm sooooo ready for October ! Anyways, Spencer is doin better ! Yay ! I love her and Daryl, they're so adorable ! Reviews/Readers/Favoriters/Followers are SO FREAKIN AWESOME !**

**~Kaila G.**


	34. Chapter 34

The sun had set beneath the trees, and Rick had decided that we would pack our things in the morning. We would be moving on, upon Hershel's word that I was safe to travel. I looked better than I had in days. According to Hershel, I had been in bed for a week. I wasn't much for keeping up with time. If I had ever needed to know what day it was in the past, I just had to ask Dale.

I sat on the bed that had been my trap for the last few days. Still feeling a little weak, and a lot tired, I leaned back against the pillows. My mind tried to seep into the memories of the days before, but it was all just a haze. I remembered a lot of Daryl, the nightmares, and Cheyenne. She was the one thing I could not forget. A constant ache in my heart that stabbed at me everyday, reminding me that she was gone. Forever.

_Did I even grieve? Yea, guess so. Not fully. Not 'nough. I miss her so much. Bein' strong for her was the hardest thing I ever did. Couldn't let'er see me cry. Couldn't scare her. She was dyin', but she was okay with that. I ain't okay with it! I need her back. Nothin', I got nothin' without my baby... Patricia, Dale... Sophia.. Take care of my baby... Please._

"Got dinner..." Daryl stopped in the doorway, staring at me as I tried to wipe away my tears. Forcing a smile, I turned my head toward him as I sat up.

"Thanks." I said quietly. Neither of us said anything as we ate. I didn't realize how much I had missed food, it was the best plate of beans I had ever eaten. When I started to get up, Daryl grabbed my hand and pulled me back onto the bed. He took my plate and set it on the floor on top of his. Turning to look at me, he shook his head.

"Stop tryin' to be so strong. If ya need'a cry, cry." Daryl growled. I shook my head, tears coming to my eyes.

"Ya know, I never cried this much before... Growin' up, tried to avoid cryin' 'til I was alone. Cryin' in front of 'em showed weakness. Didn't wanna give 'em that satisfaction... This world don't want satisfaction. It wants to take and take and take. Break ya down, 'til there ain't nothin' left to hold onto... World coulda froze... Coulda burned... But this? This's jus' cruel." I looked away, tears spilling down my cheeks. I felt Daryl move toward me, but he didn't touch me. I turned to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. Burying my head into his shoulder, I cried. "I miss her, Daryl! I miss her so much..."

He said nothing, only tightened his grip around me. I felt the weight of the world being lifted off of my shoulders, and that's when I realized what Daryl did for me. What he had always done for me. For the group. He took that burden, and carried it for himself. Comforted me, to take away my pain for himself. Only, he couldn't take away this, we shared it together. We both hurt, we both missed Cheyenne.

Repositioning myself, I wrapped my arms under his, my hands gripping his shoulders. I rested my face against the side of his neck, taking a shaky breath. _Can we jus' stay like this forever?_ I asked myself, never wanting to move from that spot. Holding onto his shoulders tighter, I planted a small kiss on his neck. It hurt knowing that he could help me so easily, but I felt as if I was too weak to help him through his own pain.

"Tell me thing's 'er gonna git better." I mumbled against his skin.

"Thing's 'er gonna git better." Daryl said quietly. His hand pressed harder against my back, pulling me closer to him.

"We gotta leave tomorrow." I sighed against him. He was quiet. "Leave her.."

"Gotta map from Rick. Figured out the area while ya were sick. Can bring ya back here.. If we ever git the chance."

"Really?" I asked, moving my head from his neck. I kept my grip on his shoulders, and the way my arms were wrapped under his kept us close. Our noses were only inches apart as I looked up at his face.

"Really." He mumbled softly, staring back at me. Studying his face, I tried to read what he was feeling, thinking. Before I could say anything, his eyes darted to my lips, then back to my eyes. "Need sleep. Long day 'head of us."

"Stay with me?" I asked, not letting go of him. Daryl looked at the door, then back at my face. I must have looked convincing, because he allowed me to pull him down onto the bed with me. Face to face, I put my hand against his cheek. "Thank you. For bringin' me back... From wherever I was."

"Shoulda done it sooner." Daryl said, his voice harsh. He was upset with himself.

"Point is, ya did." I whispered, kissing the tip of his chin. He pulled me against him, and I relaxed at the warmth his body heat radiated over me. Feeling sleepy, I snuggled my face against his neck, my lips close to his ear. "Don't ever leave me. Need you."

"Won't." Daryl said, sleep thick in his voice. "Need you, too." His words melted me, and I felt sleep taking me over when his fingers moved against the back of my neck. _Up, down. Up, down._ The feel of his finger nails drizzling over my skin sent me straight to sleep.

* * *

Packing the last of my things into my duffel bag, I zipped it shut and walked to the front door. Walking outside, I headed to Rick's vehicle to throw my bag in the back. I left the hatchback open for everyone else to finish packing their bags. Instead of walking back into the house, I crept around the side to the back yard. Cheyenne's grave came into view and I stopped.

Taking a moment to regain my composure, I started forward again. When I reached her grave, I kneeled down, touching the smooth wooden cross. Touching the words carved into the wood, I felt a tear in my eye. Despite feeling as if I were saying goodbye again, I smiled. I smiled because I knew that she knew she was loved.

Kissing my hand, I touched her name gently, before standing up. Walking back toward the side of the house, I heard footsteps. I turned to see Daryl, walking down the back stairs. He walked over to Cheyenne's grave and kneeled down. I watched as he reached out and touched the wooden cross. Realizing that he was right, we didn't have to do this alone, I walked toward him. He didn't turn around, and I stood behind him, resting my hand on his shoulder.

We were silent, and his hand came up to touch mine. He stood on his feet, placed his hand on the nape of my neck, and gave me a gentle squeeze. His eyes said everything, as he turned and we walked around the side of the house. Looking back, I stopped and whispered to my baby girl. "Bye Cheyenne." Daryl had stopped, watching me. I looked back at him. "Let's go."

He nodded and waited for me to walk the two step gap between us. I felt his hand on my lower back, and that comforted me. As it had done before. I felt like that was his way of pushing me on. Pushing me forward. Keeping me grounded when I felt like the weight of everything would just sweep me away.

He was the only thing I had left. I hadn't realized it before, but Dixon was something I would fight for. Lay down my life for. He had become everything to me, saved me on numerous occasions. Kept me sane through the insane moments. Like Rick, Daryl tried so hard. And if no one else could see that, I surely could. Maybe that was what had pushed us together. Maybe I had known all along.

I walked toward the motorcycle, the group's eyes on me. Waiting for some sort of broken reaction. _Not today, folks. Today's time to be strong. Move on._ I told myself with sadness. I didn't want to leave my baby. Taking in a deep breath, I watched Daryl walk around me and straddle his motorcycle. Following his lead, I slid on behind him. Glancing back over my shoulder, I looked at the now empty house.

_Take care of my baby. Dale, Patricia, Sophia... Amy. Yea, ya git to see Amy... _The roar of the motorcycle snapped my attention back to the road ahead. Daryl pulled out of the yard and I watched as we drove out onto the road. Turning slightly, I gave the house one last glance. As it started to disappear from my view, I turned my head back forward. _Time to move on... No lookin' back._

Grabbing the sides of his vest jacket, I held onto him as we rode down the highway. I realized that I had left a part of me back at that house. A part of me had died with Cheyenne. A part of me that I would never get back. It was all in my hands now. Up to me to keep going. When the outbreak first happened, I had no time to do anything rational. No time to think. I only had time to go.

Cheyenne and Shay were my only two concerns in the world. Until we got to that damn road block. Then everything changed and I gained a family. I spent all of my time trying to protect the people I loved. But you can't save everyone. Especially not in a world like this one. I wanted so badly to keep everyone alive, and when I realized that I couldn't, I just focused on Cheyenne and Shay.

And now they were both gone. I had lost everything. It felt that way, at least. Despite my pain, I knew that I had one more thing to fight for. Dixon. I would die before I let anything happen to him. Losing someone else I loved was not an option anymore. I wasn't going to let this world beat me. I was going to beat it.

If that meant blowing every walker to hell, I welcomed the challenge.

* * *

**I apologize deeply for the long ass update wait. I have had no internet. So happy I have it now ! I am so so so so sorry ! I hope yall enjoyed this chapter, it's about time Spencer snapped the hell outta it ! The READERS/REVIEWERS are FREAKIN AWESOME ! Thanks so much for the patience, guys. You all are amazing. Reviews are greatly appreciated as always. **

**~Kaila G.**


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